Archive for bikinginla

Morning Links: San Bernardino police unfairly blame victim; bike commuter dares Sepulveda Pass sans spandex

June 2, 2015 / / 5 comments

This is the sort of crap bike riders have to deal with far too often.

After an 81-year old bike rider was killed in San Bernardino recently, police investigators determined that the victim was at fault.

Even though he had legally taken the lane, which was too narrow to share because of drifted sand, and was riding abreast, which is not not forbidden under California law.

And even though his bike was well lighted, and should have been clearly visible to the driver who hit him from behind, and who could have easily changed lanes to avoid him.

So evidently, it’s legal to kill bike riders in the Inland Empire, even when they’re riding within their rights.

The victim’s family asked the Executive Director of the Inland Empire Biking Alliance to talk to the detective in charge of the case.

What follows is a recount of the conversation from their Facebook page, reprinted with permission, which reads more like an Abbot and Costello routine.

Note: The name of the detective has been withheld to spare him well-deserved embarrassment.

Time to bring your blood to a boil. Our ED was asked by the family of William Easley (killed when hit from behind in SB) to represent their grievance with the police report putting William at fault. The traffic commission determined that the primary cause of the collision was Easley’s violation of CVC 21202. They contest that because he was riding two abreast, that is why he was hit.

Here is the abbreviated exchange between Mark and SBPD.

Mark: It is not illegal to ride two abreast and I have a letter from CalTrans stating such.

SBPD: It is not stated to be legal either

Mark: But it’s a substandard lane due to the sand (see picture below) and riding two wide allows for the rider to control the lane which is his right to do so

SBPD: Doesn’t matter. If he had been riding in front or behind other rider he would not have been hit

Mark: What if it were a car that been hit behind?

SBPD: He is not a car and must adhere to bike laws.

Mark: He’s still a vehicle and has a right to the lane. Why couldn’t the driver have simply change lane?

SBPD: He didn’t see him.

Mark: Why didn’t he see him? Didn’t the cyclist meet and exceed the required lighting for a bike?

SBPD: I don’t know and yes he had lights that were visible

Mark: So he didn’t even know if it was a car because he “didn’t see it”? But the fact that he was NOT paying attention is in your opinion NOT the primary cause?

SBPD: Correct

Mark: So where in the law is it ok to not see things while driving?

SBPD: It happens that’s why it’s an accident.

Mark: So your telling me that if a cyclist is not to the right as far as practicable, it is ok to hit and kill them as long as you say I didn’t see them?

SBPD: If Easley had not been riding 2 wide he would not be at fault.

Mark: I don’t care just about the fault. What scares me is you are setting a precedent that it’s ok to run over bikes and peds from behind if they are just a few feet out of what YOU DETERMINE as practicable.

Mark: What about CVC 21750 the 3′ Law? This is a clear violation of it.

SBPD: True but it’s not the primary cause therefore not applicable.

Mark: Then why aren’t we allowed the lane, since we are acting as a vehicle?

SBPD: Because your not. You have bike laws.

Mark: But we are also required and have the same rights as a car.

SBPD: You can’t have it both ways. You can’t pick and choose which laws you wish to follow. Either your under bike laws or motor vehicle laws.

AT THIS POINT MY MIND IS BLOWN

The scene of the fatal collision; note how the sand reduced the ridable portion of the roadway.

Mourners gather at the scene of the fatal collision; note how the sand reduced the ridable portion of the roadway.

HE stopped the meeting after this exchange:

Mark: How far in the lane was Easley?

SBPD: 7.5′

Mark: Wait a second. How wide is the lane?

SBPD: 20′ (actually 19′)

Mark: That gives a lot of room

SBPD: How wide is a Honda?

Mark: 6′ at best. He still has 12′ to clear him.

SBPD: I’m not going to go back and forth all day with this. We determined the primary cause

We all know the flawed logic in all this and we could hash this for hours with arguments. There was back and forth with CVC and hypotheticals earlier, that got nowhere.

I cannot express the level of frustration here. The shear power of this decision to undermine our right to the road and the danger it poses to all vulnerable users as now we are “just an accident” if you didn’t see us.

The family asked us to offer a rebuttal to the final police report, which I agreed to do. After that, it’s up to the family to decide whether they wish to pursue suing the insurance company. In a weird turn, the unlicensed driver was driving a car with insurance on it from his wife.

All of which raises the question of how can we ever be save of the roads if the police don’t understand the laws regulating bicycling.

And refuse to enforce them even if they do.

……..

Local

A magazine editor attempts an apparently death-defying commute from the Valley to UCLA over the Sepulveda Pass. Without the aid of spandex.

A Santa Monica woman was thrown off her bike by a homeless man who had been running in and out of traffic.

More bike lanes at Cal Poly Pomona may come down to the same old argument over removing parking. Never mind that improving bike access and safety could reduce the need for it.

BikeSGV will offer free bike safety classes in El Monte the next four Saturdays; click the link for classes in other cities around the county in coming weeks, as well.

 

State

Maybe it really is a new Caltrans, as the agency asks planners, engineers and cyclists for input on guidelines for protected bike lanes.

San Diego’s Hillcrest neighborhood prefers to remain auto-centric, rejecting plans for protected bike lanes and suggesting sharrows instead.

A Jurupa Valley bridge is being rebuilt with bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides. Unlike plans for a certain LA bridge we could name.

A three-month Sacramento road closure could force bicyclists to take a 16-mile detour.

A sidewalk riding Modesto cyclist somehow avoided serious injuries when he was hit by a big rig truck.

 

National

The broken leg John Kerry’s suffered in a solo bike fall won’t stop the Iran nuke talks after all.

Not even ghost bikes are safe from hit-and-run drivers, as a Portland memorial was struck — perhaps intentionally — just six days after a rider was killed at the same spot. But in rare case of a city actually giving a damn, Portland officials want to lower the speed limit on the city’s crash corridors.

For some reason, Kansas farmers were okay having a railroad in their backyard, but not the bikeway that replaced it.

A North Dakota driver faces a negligent homicide charge for killing a bike-riding triathlete last August while he was taking selfies as he drove; he deleted the photos in an attempt to hide the evidence.

A lawsuit says a Chicago area cop ran down a bike rider with his patrol car, Tased him, then shot him in the foot — all in a case of mistaken identity. To make matters worse, the rider is still sitting in a jail cell facing a battery charge resulting from the altercation two years later.

In a failure of the medical system, a 16-year old bike rider died two weeks after he was treated and released by the hospital following a rear-end collision.

 

International

Wired ranks the 20 most bike friendly cities on the planet; Minneapolis is the only US city to make a list, while Copenhagen replaces Amsterdam at the top spot.

A Vancouver librarian says stop demonizing fat people if you want get more people on bikes.

All bike thieves suck. But it takes a real jerk to steal a customized bike from a Winnipeg man who had his leg amputated.

Ontario cyclists now face fines up to $500 for riding without a light; the good news is, drivers now have to give bike riders a one meter — 3.3 feet — passing distance, and face a $1,000 fine for dooring.

A noted Toronto architect has died a month after he was hit by an SUV while riding his bike.

A new British helmet prototype gives riders a heads-up display of the safest bike routes.

That road raging UK driver who threatened to break a bike rider’s neck and eat him for breakfast just happens to own a chain of upscale coffee shops that offer cycling workshops. But no need to boycott because he says he’s very sorry. No, really.

Once again, someone has sabotaged a popular British riding route with drawing pins.

Brit bike scribe Carlton Reid describes his recent US book tour to promote his new book, Roads Were Not Built For Cars.

Beijing works with Dutch experts to revive bicycling in the Chinese capital.

Bangkok is starting to take safety seriously, reducing speed limits for streets with bike lanes to just 18 mph. Good luck with that here.

A Japanese Nintendo hero is teaming with Tokyo police to stop bike theft.

 

Finally…

It’s bad enough when police figuratively crap on bike lanes; worse when their horses literally do it. When you’re riding your bike with 18 bags of marijuana, put a damn bell on it, already.

And a Fargo man is convicted of drunk driving for operating a Zamboni with a BAC nearly four times the legal limit.

But at least he rode a bike to the arena instead of driving.

 

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

Morning Links: KPCC calls LaBonge a bike advocate, CicLAvia rolls, Kerry breaks a leg and Hövding sort of works

June 2, 2015 / / 7 comments

KPCC offered an hour long show to celebrate bicycling in Los Angeles over the weekend.

Okay, 45 minutes without station breaks.

It’s worth a listen; Cyclelicious breaks down the program, and archives the full hour if you’d rather hear the whole thing.

But in a major WTF moment, they interviewed outgoing Councilmember Tom LaBonge, discussing his support for bicycling, while acknowledging in passing that some bike advocates would disagree with that assessment.

Or how about, virtually all bike advocates would disagree.

While LaBonge has been a supporter of recreational riding, including completion of the LA River path, he seems unable to comprehend that some people have an actual need to get from here to there on the streets of LA, on two wheels and in one piece.

Like Paul Koretz and Gil Cedillo before him, LaBonge has personally halted plans for vital bikeways contained in the 2010 bike plan that was unanimously approved by the city council.

Which means he was for it before he was against it.

For instance, Lankershim Blvd was supposed to have a bike lane by now.

But LaBonge agreed with at least one neighborhood group that bikes belong on nearby Vineland instead, a quieter street that parallels Lankershim. Although the real issue isn’t giving cyclists a more serene street to ride, but rather, preserving traffic lanes and street parking along the dangerous boulevard.

Never mind bike riders need to go to the same places drivers do, and that shunting them aside merely forces them to ride further and bypass places where they might otherwise do business.

Or that bike lanes have been shown to help calm traffic and improve safety for everyone. And that businesses usually benefit by having a calmer, more walkable and rideable street passing by their storefronts, encouraging people to stop in rather than speed by.

LaBonge is also responsible for the death of the long-planned bike boulevard — excuse me, bike friendly street neighborhood greenway — on 4th Street.

Local residents objected, not to plans for a bike boulevard, but the idea of traffic lights at Highland and Rossmore that would allow riders to cross the busy streets safely, fearing that drivers would use the quiet side street to bypass busier streets on either side.

Instead of explaining that the planned traffic lights would be a demand lights that would only work if someone pushed a button on the side of the road, or that traffic diverters would keep motorists from driving more than a few blocks on 4th — or any of the other options that would have improved safety and livability for everyone along the corridor — LaBonge simply killed the whole thing.

Leaving both bike riders and local residents worse off.

As the program touched on, he’s also one of the prime movers trying to force a pedestrian-unfriendly Glendale-Hyperion bridge through the city council before he leaves office.

And before the less auto-centric David Ryu can replace him.

That’s not to say LaBonge isn’t a likable person, or that he’s not the closest thing to a cheerleader the City of Angels has had in years. In fact, he’d be the perfect choice to replace the late Johnny Grant as the honorary mayor of Hollywood.

But he’s been a mediocre and unpopular councilmember at best, which is one of the primary reasons his protégé Carolyn Ramsay lost to Ryu in the recent council race to replace him.

And he has been the enemy of anyone forced to ride the unwelcoming streets in his district. Something KPCC should have considered before allowing LaBonge to celebrate himself on the air.

Let’s hope Ryu will revive some of those projects LaBonge sent to an early death.

And that KPCC will do something like this again. But talk to a few more real bike advocates first.

……..

Pasadena police estimate attendance at Sunday’s CicLAvia at just 40,000, which would make it the lowest attended of any CicLAvia.

However, as Henry Fung points out, that’s most likely an estimate of the crowd at any given time, rather than the attendance for the full day, as people came and went throughout the day. The actual attendance was probably two or three times that.

The Source offers some truly great photos of the day, as does the Times, although the responses to the Time’s piece are sadly predictable. And while Boyonabike proclaimed the day potentially subversive, his son termed it awesome-tacular.

The next official CicLAvia will take place August 9th with a route along Venice and Washington Boulevards from Culver City to the coast. Hopefully, the redesigned and shortened route will avoid the problems with 2013’s CicLAvia to the Sea, which resulted in bike traffic jams that rivaled the 405 at rush hour.

But if you can’t wait that long, you’re in luck. Because Long Beach is hosting its first ciclovía on Atlantic Avenue this Saturday.

……..

Calbike calls on everyone to call your state legislators to urge support for more active transportation funding.

……..

Secretary of State John Kerry broke his leg while riding in France. Kerry is said to be an exceptional cyclist, even if some people who clearly don’t have a clue say he’s too old to ride a bike; I know some people who might disagree.

The question is what effect his injury will have on current international negotiations, including efforts to rein in Iran’s nuclear program.

On the other hand, who goes out for a bike ride with a motorcade, including physician, in tow?

Thanks to George Wolfberg for the second link.

……..

Bike Radar tries out that Hövding inflatable bike non-helmet, which surprisingly enough, seems to actually work.

Although if you watch carefully, the side of her head impacts the mattress before the helmet moves around to protect it. Which could result in serious injury if you don’t happen to fall on bedding.

……..

No surprise from the Giro d’Italia as Contador cruises to an easy victory, setting up a chance to try for rare back-to-back victories in the Giro and Tour de France. The breakout star of the tour has been Astana’s Fabio Aru, who may get a shot at the TdF as a result.

And VeloNews looks at how the young American contingent faired.

……..

Local

The Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee meets tonight at the Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall, 6501 Fountain Ave; you can find tonight’s agenda here. The BAC is the only official voice in the city government for bike riders, even if most LA cyclists don’t even know it exists. Correction: earlier I misidentified the location of the meeting; the address above is the correct location.

Streetsblog is the latest to complain about scofflaw cops parking in the bike lane near the old Parker Center police headquarters.

Architect Michael Maltzan’s squiggle is turning into a new 6th Street Viaduct, complete with circular bike ramps to lift riders up to the crossing while providing views of LA.

Caught on video: The first green-backed sharrows come to Venice.

David Beckham teaches his three-year old daughter how to ride a bike. And without training wheels, no less.

 

State

Orange County rescue teams had a busy day on Sunday, as they came to the aid of three mountain bike riders injured in separate incidents.

A 68-year old Los Angeles woman suffered a serious head injury when she was hit by a cyclist while crossing a street in Del Mar. Let’s hope she makes a full and fast recovery. And always give pedestrians the right-of-way; they’re the only ones on the street more vulnerable than we are.

An Oceanside road diet and roundabout designed to improve safety for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians has received a third engineering design award. Awards are nice, but the real test is whether it reduces conflicts and collisions.

Competitive mountain biking is spreading throughout California high schools; the Union-Tribune offers a nice look at a budding team from an Escondido high school.

Goldenvoice, the company behind the Coachella music festival, has offered to pay the maintenance costs for the Coachella Valley’s planned 50-mile bike and pedestrian path.

San Luis Obispo police bust a bike burglar in a stolen van after a brief chase; inside they found six high-end bicycles valued at over $40,000 stolen in a break-in at a local bike shop.

San Francisco officials hope to get a change in state law to allow speed cameras to automatically ticket speeding drivers. LA should get behind the bill, as well; we’ll never meet Vision Zero goals if LA drivers continue to be allowed, if not expected, to speed with impunity.

 

National

Okay, so don’t try to fix potholes yourself.

Next City asks when the US will embrace truck side guards to keep bicyclists and pedestrians safer.

Bicycling’s Elly Blue discusses the potentially burning question of how to drink coffee while you ride.

Vox discusses how to get more people biking and walking to work.

Portland cyclists ride to demand no more ghost bikes, while a local website asks if biking in the bike friendly city is getting more dangerous.

Yes, it’s upsetting to get into an argument after crashing into jaywalking pedestrian. But don’t pull out a knife and stab the other man multiple times; a Seattle man faces assault charges for doing exactly that.

A Colorado woman is riding from Denver to Anchorage to raise funds for Nepal earthquake victims.

Wyoming police are on the lookout for a suspected hit-and-run driver who injured a bike rider, but that doesn’t stop him from venting on Facebook. Seriously, anything you say on social media can and will be used against you in a court of law.

Houston cyclists were involved in at least 950 vehicle collisions in a 12-month period since the city approved a three-foot passing law; at least 213 of those were hit-and-run. Clearly, hit-and-run is not just an LA problem.

A Minnesota driver warns about the dangers of distracted driving, after serving a whole six months for the death of a bike riding mother pulling her two daughters in a bicycle trailer; he’ll serve another three months in each of the next two years.

This is why so-called pranks aren’t funny. A 72-year old Ohio bicyclist was blinded in one eye when he was shot with a paintball gun by a passenger in a passing car; a 20-year old man faces a felony assault charge in the case. This is also one more example why you should always wear eye protection when you ride.

In a bizarre twist of fate, a North Carolina cyclist considers giving up bicycling after he’s the victim of a hit-and-run, five years to the day after he was severely injured in another hit-and-run while riding.

 

International

Sad news from up north, as an impaired British Columbia driver plowed into a group of three cyclists, killing two, as well as a passenger in his own vehicle.

Vancouver’s move to better bike infrastructure has resulted in a doubling in ridership since 2008.

An Edmonton man gets his knickers in a twist after he’s denied entry to a bike co-op on a women and transgender night.

Prepare to get pissed off. An Ottawa judge rules a driver not guilty of hit-and-run because he was… wait for it… too drunk to know he’d hit a bike rider. He also got off on a separate drunk driving charge because police allegedly violated his rights when he was arrested.

English police warn about yet another attempt to injure cyclists by stringing wires at neck level across a bikeway.

A British group is raising funds to put women’s bike racing on TV on a weekly basis.

Caught on video: A road raging Brit driver has a foul mouthed meltdown, threatening to eat a bike rider for breakfast for failing to use a nearly unrideable bikeway. Somehow, I feel like I’ve seen this movie before. Or maybe lived it.

Apparently not caught on video was the road raging British Brompton rider who grabbed another bicyclist by the throat and pushed him into the bushes.

Maybe it’s time to take a bike tour through the heel of Italy’s boot. Or perhaps you’d prefer to ride along the Danube. Or just retire to ride around the world.

On the other hand, this is the risk we face in today’s world, as a Chinese bike tourist is being held hostage by a Taliban group in Pakistan.

Who knew Dubai was becoming bike friendly? The emirate has constructed 110 miles of cycle tracks spanning the country.

An Aussie woman writes about what it’s like to live with a cyclist and worry about her partner’s safe return. Which is why my wife doesn’t want to know what happens on my rides anymore.

A Japanese prefecture now requires bike riders to carry liability insurance.

Hong Kong cyclists push to make the city bike friendly, while the city seems to move in the opposite direction.

 

Finally…

When a Toronto man left his $2,500 Dutch cargo bike at the airport, a maintenance crew tossed it in the trash; fortunately, a worker rescued it and returned it to its owner. Does a wrist-held smartwatch come under the ban for using hand-held devices while driving?

And yes, riding a bike can be very exciting, as a participant in a UK edition of the World Naked Bike Ride was removed by police for becoming a little too aroused during the event.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bike Events, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Update: 66-year old woman killed riding her bike in Laguna Hills

May 30, 2015 / / 7 comments

Sad news from Laguna Hills.

According to KTLA-5, a woman was killed when she was hit by a vehicle while riding her bike at Paseo De Valencia and Kennington Drive around 1:40 pm Saturday.

The victim was identified only as a woman in her 60s, pending notification of her family. No other information is available at this time.

A photo from the scene shows a Toyota minivan with its windshield smashed on the right side.

A satellite view shows what appears to be a bike lane on the southbound side of Paseo De Valencia, while the Aliso Creek Bikeway parallels the road on the northbound side, crossing Kennington in the crosswalk. There is a traffic signal at the intersection.

Paseo De Valencia marks the border between Laguna Woods to the west and Laguna Hills on the east. The OC Sheriff’s Department places the collision on the Laguna Hills side, suggesting the victim may have been riding on the bikeway and was struck when she attempted to cross Kennington; however, that is merely speculation at this point.

This is the 23rd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third in Orange County; that compares to 44 in SoCal and nine in the county this time last year.

Update: The Orange County Register reports the 66-year old victim was riding south on the bike path when she rode out into the northbound traffic lane on Paseo De Valencia to avoid other cyclists coming in the opposite direction. As she did, she was hit, apparently head-on, by a minivan driven by a 59-year old man, who remained at the scene.

Bystanders performed CPR until the fire department arrived and took her to Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills, where she died less than half an hour later.

She may be known in the local bicycling community, as friends described her as an avid cyclist who rode 30 to 40 miles a day.

Update 2: The Orange County Coroner’s office has identified the victim as 66-year old Michiko Day of Laguna Woods.

Bill Sellin forwards a graphic that clearly shows what happened to cause the collision. 

The red arrows represent the route Day took as she exited the bike path to cross Kennington Drive, then swerved into traffic to avoid other riders, indicated by the blue arrows. 

So she appears to have been a victim, not just of the car and driver that took her life, but an inadequate bikeway design that forces riders off a protected bike path and out into the street before coming back into the crosswalk.

Day-Collision-Site

 

Update 3: The Orange County Register reports that Michiko Day was just one block from home when she was killed while riding in Laguna Woods last month. Her riding partner confirms what we thought, that poor road and bike path design may have contributed to her death.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Michiko Day and her loved ones.

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

Weekend Links: 3 years for vehicular assault, LA’s Mobility Plan passes PlanComm, and CicLAvia Pasadena

May 30, 2015 / / 2 comments

Three years hardly seems long enough.

But it will have to do.

According to the Daily Breeze, William Thomas Kelly reached a plea deal that will keep him behind bars for the next three years for his drunken road rage rampage through the Palos Verdes area, in which he deliberately used his car to assault a cyclist and smash into parked cars.

Kelly reportedly hit one car, then backed up to hit it again and drove on to sideswipe a parked car. He then hit the pedal of a bicyclist; when the rider yelled at him, he backed up and used his car to knock the rider and his bike into the bushes, then drove back and forth over his bike. He was later found passed out with a BAC of at least 0.11 after crashing into a gated fence.

Hopefully, the plea will include a condition that he never drive again.

……..

The LA Planning Commission voted Wednesday to approve the city’s mobility plan, including a slightly scaled back version of the 2010 bike plan and a commitment to Vision Zero.

Streetsblog reports the planned Westwood Blvd bike lane survived an attack by a representative of Councilmember Paul Koretz, while Commissioner Richard Katz questioned whether bike facilities belong on the street at all.

Katz said he supported expanding the bicycle network, but “we will never be Boulder or Davis.”

Not with thinking like that, anyway.

……..

CicLAvia offers a list of activities along Sunday’s Pasadena route, while KNBC-4, KCET and the Pasadena Star-News looks forward to it. Note to Star-News: Unless the director of Walden School is selling something as he rides to work, the word you want is pedals, not peddles.

Feeder rides — and a walk — are available from throughout the area. The Militant Angeleno provides his must-read guide to the Rose City route; seriously, never go to any CicLAvia without reading the Militant’s detailed and insightful guides first. Time Out gives their thoughts on Sunday’s event, while CiclaValley provides a handful of tips and a handy checklist of everything you need to bring.

And yes, bikes are optional; this should be the most walkable CicLAvia yet.

In honor of CicLAvia, KPCC will broadcast a one-hour show all about bikes at 10 am today and again on Sunday; you can listen live online.

And the San Gabriel Tribune says every weekend should be like CicLAvia in every downtown in the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier areas. Or maybe just everywhere.

I’m not going to be able to make this one, so let us all know how it goes.

……..

I’m hearing nothing but good things about the new green separated bike lanes in Redondo Beach, which includes some of the area’s first bicycle traffic signals.

But the smartest thing they did was put sharrows on the roadway next to it for riders who want to go faster or avoid the bikeway crowds on busy weekends.

Both Ted Faber and Jim Lyle sent photos.

Photo by Ted Faber

Photo by Ted Faber; note the sharrows on the street to the right

Photo by Jim Lyle; note the sharrows on the street to the right

Photo by Jim Lyle

photo by Jim Lyle

photo by Jim Lyle

……..

LGBT site Frontiers Media looks at the bike scene in the City of Angeles, with brief overview of bicycling in the city.

They go on to list five places every LA bike enthusiast should know, along with seven gadgets and gizmos for geared-up Angelenos. Although I wouldn’t call a $3,750 Cervelo a gadget. And I sure as hell wouldn’t call it a mountain bike.

……..

The latest bike racing rumors involve mini-motors in the pro pelaton, as Ryder Hesjedal takes offense at having his bike checked to make sure he’s not motor doping.

Former Giro champ Damiano Cunego is out of this years race with a broken collarbone, while Contador continues to hold the leader’s jersey. And no, he didn’t have a motor in his bike, either, but he did command some respect on Thursday.

Meanwhile, former pro and ’97 TdF winner Jan Ulrich faces up to three years in prison for a DUI collision that injured two people.

Closer to home, next year’s US pro cycling championship will move from Chattanooga to Winston-Salem NC.

……..

New bicycle maker Brilliant will ship you a steel frame bike for $300, as long as you’re willing to assemble it yourself. And don’t expect your LBS to fix it for you if you screw it up.

Then again, it might be easier to just print your next ti bike, or at least the handlebars.

Or maybe you’d prefer a steam powered bike.

……..

Local

Streetsblog gives us part two of their interview with retiring UCLA parking maven Donald Shoup.

The LACBC interviews super bike volunteer Wayne “Ridetime” Howard, while Bicycling profiles Coolass Mike Bowers and his efforts to put 1,000 bikes in the hands of foster kids.

Malibu city council committees approve the 850-page PCH Safety Study, which calls for 130 safety improvements along the dangerous coast highway, including bike lanes where they don’t conflict with street parking. God forbid a parking space should be sacrificed in the name of safety.

The LA Weekly profiles an Oakland-based theater company that’s traveling across the country by bike; they’ll perform at the Santa Monica Pier on the 1st, before moving on the San Diego and eventually making their way to New York.

A new proposal to replace the much-hated plans to complete the 710 Freeway includes light rail and a multi-lane boulevard complete with busways and a separated bike path.

The first phase of Santa Monica’s MANGo neighborhood greenway officially opens today.

Long Beach is officially opening the new pedestrian walkway on the beach today, which promises to improve safety on the beachfront bike path by separating bikes from people on foot. Something Santa Monica desperately needs to do.

Your last chance to weigh in on the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge could come this Wednesday before the Public Works Committee; the full city council often doesn’t allow public comments before taking a vote, especially if someone is likely to disagree with their pre-determined decisions.

 

State

A Tustin man is under arrest for breaking the window of a bike shop and stealing an adult-sized tricycle; he was in the process of stealing another bike a mile away when caught.

San Diego held their rain-delayed Bike to Work Day Friday.

San Diego’s North County is sprouting new sharrows; the story reports that sharrows on the Coast Highway in Solano Beach dropped average speeds by 10 mph without increasing congestion. Nice that they’re using us for rolling speed bumps, though.

A Marine vet who lost his legs in Afghanistan will set off from San Diego Monday for a 65-day ride across the US on a hand-cranked ‘bent.

A legal opinion concludes that the planned 50-mile multi-use path through the Coachella Valley qualifies for tax funds as a roadway because electric golf carts will be allowed to use it.

A gang member is under arrest for stabbing a bike riding Redlands art student in the face.

San Francisco’s bike share system is expanding from 700 to 7,000 bikes throughout the Bay Area.

As if the internet isn’t killing enough of their business, now Bay Area bike messengers are being targeted by bike thieves.

The new Marin bicycling museum opens to the public on Saturday, June 6th, with nearly 200 years of bike history, including the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame; a local group celebrates by calling for a crackdown on Marin off-road riders.

Modesto is working to convert itself to model bike-friendly city for everyone on two wheels.

 

National

A new infographic from People for Bikes shows many of the assumptions about women and bicycling are wrong, while Bicycling suggests 10 ways bike shops can be more welcoming to women. But the biggest barrier to greater diversity on bikes may be access to safer infrastructure.

Four cities are racing to build the first working protected intersection in the US. And no, Los Angeles isn’t one of them.

Portland parents launch a national PAC to force apologists for traffic violence out of office. About damn time.

A local motorcycle club plans to throw volleyballs at speeding Spokane sheriff’s deputies to protest the death of a 15-year old bicycle rider, after investigators conclude their patrol car didn’t hit the teen’s bike. Note to Spokane County Sheriff’s Department: It’s not unusual for bike riders to go over the handlebars in a panic stop without anyone actually hitting them; that doesn’t mean the driver who forced the panic stop isn’t responsible.

Proof bike riders aren’t always the good guys. Colorado state police are looking for a bicyclist who caused a motorcycle rider to wipeout near my hometown; a witness reports the rider veered in front of the motorbike and slowed down, causing the victim to lose control and be thrown from his bike, then just turned around and rode away without stopping to help. Jerk.

To no one’s surprise, the fatal shooting of a Colorado cyclist has officially been linked to the random shooting of a driver on the nearby I-25.

Albuquerque becomes the latest city to get bike share before LA; officials hope the program will help revitalize the downtown area.

A Texas bike rider discovers a casket, presumably with the body still inside, along a bike path after the recent floods.

Michigan traffic engineers take road diet to the extreme, proposing a street with a single lane shared by drivers traveling in both directions, and bike lanes on either side; drivers are supposed to safely merge into the bike lanes when they meet a car coming in the opposite direction. Anyone want to guess how that will work in real life?

Nice story from Ohio, as a 5th Grader saved the rewards he got in school for good behavior to buy his younger brother a bike — even though he didn’t have one himself. When teachers and administrators found out, they took up a collection to buy him one, too.

A Notre Dame dean and physics professor has ridden across the country every summer for the last five years to raise funds for rare disorders.

While the rest of New York’s media was focused on a bike riding neurological researcher killed by a hit-and-run driver who was fleeing the police, the Post saved its front page for a scofflaw cyclist out for a ride with his son.

Virginia’s Bicycle Bandit faces up to 100 years in prison for robbing a series of banks before pedaling — not peddling — to make his getaway.

A Baton Rouge driver turns himself in five days after he fatally stuck a bike rider. Which presumably would have given him plenty of time to sober up.

 

International

Bike Score ranks the least bike friendly cities in Canada.

A new Canadian study show wide traffic lanes make for more dangerous streets.

Five years after Vancouver merchants fought separated bike lanes, they’d now fight if anyone tried to remove them, according to the leader of a local business association.

A cyclist from the UK will attempt to break the seven day record by riding over 1,800 miles in a single week.

Yes, the UK’s new 20 mph speed limits can reduce injury collisions, but only if drivers actually observe them; a study shows the lower limit reduced speeds by just 1 mph in one city.

The acting leader of the British Labour party calls for a ban on large trucks during peak traffic hours to protect bike riders. Meanwhile, rear- and side-facing cameras on those same trucks could save the lives of cyclists and pedestrians, if they’d actually use them.

Somewhere between 50 to 100 bystanders teamed together to lift a double decker bus — yes, a bus — off a critically injured Brit unicycle rider.

Scottish lawyers warn about the danger to cyclists crossing Edinburgh’s tram tracks; one firm alone claims to represent nearly 100 such cases.

An Irish Paralympic cyclist is raising funds for a new leg in hopes of making the podium in Rio next year.

A New Zealand cyclist is attempting to circumnavigate the country in just three months, riding over 6,000 miles to raise funds for an ambulance company.

Sydney, Australia officials go the wrong way, making the city more dangerous for cyclists by reneging on a promise to replace a bike lane scheduled for removal.

A Bangkok bike commuter says he’s tired of weak support for bicycling, as well as suggestions that bike riders belong on an off-road recreational path instead of commuting.

 

Finally…

Actor Matthew Modine got his start with a bike left behind when someone smashed his grownup lemonade stand. The battle between cars and bikes has been going on a long time; the first recorded collision between two vehicles was between a bike and a car back in 1896.

And be sure to look up every now and then when you ride.

……..

One last note.

Recently, I mentioned a moving piece from Zócalo Public Square in which Aurelio Jose Berrera wrote of getting up early a few days a week to ride out in search of homeless people huddled in the doorways and alleys of our city, his bike loaded down with donated food to hand out to those in need.

His story reminded me of a saint whose heart was similarly filled with compassion for a homeless stranger.

So I was surprised to open my laptop the other day, and discover an email from Berrera thanking me. According to his message, what I wrote, along with a handful of other stories about his efforts, helped inspire Petaluma-based Yuba Bicycles to donate a Mundo cargo bike to make his volunteer work a little easier.

According to a Yuba press release he attached, 

“Jose is an honorable, kind and humble man whose generous spirit and desire to help others is an example for all of us,” says Benjamin Sarrazin, founder and owner of Yuba Bicycles. “Yuba is proud to help Jose by providing a cargo bike that will hopefully enable him to more easily carry out his mission. He is truly a hero.”

I couldn’t agree more.

But there’s more than one hero here.

Yuba deserves a round of thanks for caring enough to give a bike to help those so many of us don’t even seem to see. As does everyone who contributes to help Berrera help them.

I’m not sure how big a role I really played in helping him get the new bike.

But his email made my week.

 

Category: Bike Events, Bikes & the Law, Legal Cases, Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Update: Bike rider killed after swerving across traffic on Oceanside highway

May 28, 2015 / / One comment

An Oceanside bike rider is dead following an inexplicable swerve onto the wrong side of a roadway late Tuesday evening.

According to multiple sources, the 54-year old victim, who has not been publicly identified, was riding his bike on the westbound side of State Route 76 near Frazee Road when he veered onto the wrong side of the road around 8:50 pm; another source places the collision east of the Towne Center mall, some distance from Frazee.

One driver reportedly swerved onto the shoulder to avoid the rider, but a second driver didn’t have time to react and hit the victim’s bike, apparently at high speed given the 55 mph speed limit. He was pinned under the SUV as several people rushed to help.

A satellite view shows that SR-76 is a divided highway, though there’s no barrier separating the two sides east of Frazee Rd.

Police report alcohol was suspected to be a factor, implying that the bike rider may have been drinking.

However, drunk or not, it’s hard to understand how someone would unintentionally swerve such a great distance, from the right shoulder across two lanes of traffic and a wide median, and onto the other side of the road. Which suggests he may have been trying to turn around or cross the roadway for some reason.

This is the 22nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth in San Diego County. That compares with 43 in SoCal last year, and four in the county this time last year.

Update: The Union-Tribune reports the victim is a local homeless man; he reportedly smelled of alcohol. The driver who hit him had also been drinking, but passed a breath test.

Update 2: the victim has been identified as Mark Jacoby; the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office describes him as a 54-year old transient.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Mark Jacoby and his loved ones.

 

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

Morning Links: 3 important bike meetings, 1 last endorsement in WeHo, and what to do at CicLAvia Pasadena

May 27, 2015 / / One comment

The seemingly endless series of LA area elections is finally drawing to a close with next week’s vote in West Hollywood, where Bike the Vote LA endorses John Heilman for city council.

……..

Lots of important meetings this week.

A meeting will be held from 5 to 7 pm this evening to discuss improvements to 7th Street in DTLA, including possible plans for protected bike lanes. It takes place at the Ratkovich Company, 700 S. Flower Street, Suite 2600.

The Los Angeles Planning Commission will consider the city’s draft Mobility Plan — which includes the previously approved 2010 bike plane — tomorrow on the second floor of the Van Nuys City Hall, 14410 Sylvan Street. According to an email from the LACBC, the updated plan includes a focus on protected bike lanes and complete streets; however, opponents of some projects, including the embattled bike lanes on Westwood Blvd, are fighting their inclusion in the plan. Bike riders are urged to attend, or email James Williams in the City Planning Commission office at cpc@lacity.org to voice their support.

The Griffith Park Advisory Board is meeting at 6:30 pm tomorrow at the Griffith Park Visitor’s Center, 4730 Crystal Springs Drive. The topic of interest is discussion of the Vision Plan for the park, which should focus on removing cars while maintaining access for people, rather than reopening previously closed streets as in the recent Mt. Hollywood controversy.

……..

CicLAvia offers a list of activities along Sunday’s Pasadena route.

……..

Corona del Mar’s loss is Portland’s gain.

Prominent Newport Beach bike advocate Frank Peters writes to say he’s given up on SoCal sunshine — and waiting for safer streets — and moved to the damp, but bike friendly city to the north.

The author of cdmCyclist and a member of the committee that helped draft the city’s bicycle master plan, Peters has been one of the leading voices calling for bike safety in Orange County in recent years. And more importantly, actually doing something about it.

But as he points out, while those safer streets are coming, they’re not likely to be built out in his lifetime.

He will be missed in the OC.

Let’s just hope he doesn’t rust up there.

……..

Local

Employees in the LADOT division responsible for striping streets received an average of over $48,000 in overtime last year. If bike lanes were responsible, as the story suggests, they should have been able to build out the entire bike plan by now.

Streetsblog honors Streetsie Award winners LA City Councilmember José Huizar and bike videographer Nate Lucero with a short ride in Eagle Rock this Friday.

The LACBC is joining with Metro to offer a series of free bike safety classes around the county.

Rancho Cucamonga has developed a comprehensive multi-modal transportation plan that includes “robust” bike and pedestrian networks.

The Long Beach Gazettes says this summer could be the best yet for urban bike riders, thanks to the city’s first Beach Streets ciclovía and a new pedestrian path separating walkers from bikes on the beach.

The third annual Jewel City Ride rolls through Glendale on Sunday, June 7th, with three routes ranging from seven to 50 miles.

 

State

A Rancho Mirage resident says city leaders are embracing a dying economic model in opposing a planned 50-mile bike path connecting the Coachella Valley.

A Fresno bicyclist died 10 days after he was injured in an alleged suicide swerve. Amazing how many bike riders turn into the path of drivers. Or could it be that the drivers are just passing too closely and blaming the cyclists for their mistakes?

Oakland challenges LA’s unofficial title as the hit-and-run capital of the state; the OPD solves just 2% of all hit-and-runs in the city.

Sad news from St. Helena, as a young Midwestern woman visiting on vacation was killed in a collision with a box truck; the story reports she was turning left from a driveway when she rode her bike into the side of the truck. Update: The victim was a 31-year old Ohio woman celebrating her first anniversary; her husband was riding 20 feet behind and witnessed her death. She may not have been familiar with how to stop the rented fixed gear bike she was riding. 

 

National

Colorado police are still looking for leads in last week’s fatal shooting of a bike rider considered the town’s unofficial mayor.

A Minnesota professor blames social media for last weekend’s water gun assault on Pedal Pubs. Or maybe some people just don’t like them.

The driver who killed a Kentucky cyclist during a bike event is a really good guy with a possible drinking problem, according to his wife, in an attempt to shift blame the victim. Even though police say her husband admitted drinking six beers and smoking dope before they caught him trying to flee the scene with the victim still in the bed of his pickup. But other than that, he’s a champ, right?

Pittsburgh preps to become the latest city to have bike share before Los Angeles. At this rate, we may be the next-to-last city to get one.

New Orleans drivers are ignoring one of the city’s bike lanes, and police are ignoring their violations. Thanks to Erik Griswold for the heads-up.

A Savannah cyclist says he knows several people who have given up bike riding because they’re afraid of aggressive drivers, but never the other way around.

The closure of a Miami causeway for reconstruction will force cyclists onto a deadly, high-speed bridge that’s already taken too many lives.

Miami police team with a local bike shop to offer a new twist on gun buyback programs; the first 50 people to turn in any gun will get a free bike.

 

International

Vancouver police tell drivers to shoulder-check for cyclists before making turns or lane changes. I’m not sure suggesting that drivers perform any kind of body-check in hockey mad Canada is a good idea, though.

An Ottawa writer says the city has lost the mythical war on cars.

UK bike injuries are on the increase despite a boost in safety funding, even while pedestrian and motorcycle injury collisions drop dramatically. Of course, the rise could be due to a jump in ridership, which could mean the rate of injury collisions has actually stayed the same or maybe even dropped.

A British runner died of a brain injury after a collision with a cyclist; police have found the bike rider but say there’s no suggestion of criminality. Sounds like the NYPD after any cyclist or pedestrian gets run over.

 

Finally…

Cycling Weekly says chow down on chicharróns to power up for your next ride. The Brit bike rider who plowed into the side of a bus after running a red light blames it on a broken brake cable.

And a new study says pedaling backwards is actually better for you. Though it’s probably best practiced on a bike that isn’t moving for any extended time.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: CicLAvia comes to Pas, PCH hugs it out, and SoCal has one of the world’s best bike lanes

May 26, 2015 / / 3 comments

Excitement is building for Sunday’s CicLAvia Pasadena.

The Source lists dog friendly places to visit during the open streets event. Flying Pigeon unveils plans for a feeder ride from NELA, which another feeder plans to join from Eagle Rock and Highland Park.

Although the cops may be on the lookout since the city is being plagued by one or more bike riding robbers.

And Richard Risemberg comments that Pasadena didn’t make much of a commitment by offering just 3.5 miles for the truncated route. But you can will follow the short ride with a reading from his new book at The Battery Books and Music in South Pas.

………

Here’s that PCH safety video we mentioned awhile back, wherein an anthropomorphic Pacific Coast Highway comes to life and hugs it out with a commuter, cyclist, pedestrian and resident in a group therapy session.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0IXIqEUXtM

It’s worth a look.

Though I’m not sure this will change any attitudes on the too often contested roadway.

What so you think? Will this make you want to change your ways?

………

Men’s Journal looks at the world’s 10 best bike lanes, including one on the coast highway in our relative back yard.

………

Apparently humorless Minneapolis cops take down a bunch of bike riders for a series of water gun attacks on the city’s brew bikes. Good to know America is safe from getting soaked by bike-born terrorists.

Pending legislation looks likely to legalize them here — brew bikes, not terrorists — although the current drought should keep them safe from a similar assault.

Thanks to JustAnotherCyclist for the heads-up.

………

Turns out the so-called professional bike race that resulted in a collision between two riders in Lompoc, critically injuring one, was actually a club ride from San Francisco to Santa Barbara benefitting the EOD Warriors Foundation.

Sadly, the victim did not make it.

………

Megan Guarnier and Matthew Busche are your new national road cycling champs; Guarnier won in a final sprint, while it’s the second title for a rain soaked Busche.

Meanwhile, cycling scion Taylor Phinney looks back on the crash that nearly ended his pro career at last year’s nats, and how it helped him grow as a person.

Kristin Armstrong won the women’s time trial title, securing a spot in the word championships after getting dumped from the US team a few weeks earlier. Andrew Talansky looks forward to taking the winner’s jersey back to Europe after winning the men’s championship.

Pre-race favorite Richie Porte abandons the Giro after getting hurt in a crash and receiving a two-minute penalty for accepting a wheel from a competitor following a flat. Greipel, Boonen and Matthews drop out as well.

And a Vancouver cyclist loses the lead in a local race when he’s body-checked by a deer. On his birthday, no less.

………

Local

The Rail to River Active Transportation Corridor — aka multi-use bike path — proposed for South LA could be approved to seek funding at the end of the month.

Richard Risemberg hopes newly elected CD4 Councilmember David Ryu meant it when he said he supported bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides of the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge. Let’s hope Ryu replaces outgoing Tom LaBonge before he can do anymore harm to the city.

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton talks to retiring UCLA parking maven Donald Shoup, author of The High Cost of Free Parking.

Santa Monica continues their crackdown on traffic violations that endanger cyclists and pedestrians; the next will come this Friday. Which means observe the letter of the law when riding in the city.

BikinginLA sponsor Michael Rubinstein warns drivers to watch for cyclists when turning left, after a teenaged boy is left crossed while riding home from school.

 

State

Scot bike advocate and blogger Town Mouse, aka author Sally Hinchcliffe, visits San Diego and finds riding there not to her liking. Although she is impressed with the massive Share the Road sign nowhere near one.

San Diego’s Uptown News provides a look at Hinchcliffe’s riding partner, BikeSD co-founder Sam Ollinger, and her efforts to turn our neighbor to the south into a world-class bicycling city.

Community organizers in Fresno propose a system of bike freeways to improve safety. A concept that no one has even mentioned, let alone suggested yet, in LA.

Someone stole San Francisco’s pupcycle.

We had Bike to Work Day earlier this month; the Bay Area had Bike to Shop Day on Saturday.

Heartbreaking story from Sonoma, as an 18-year old woman confronts the imprisoned drunk driver who killed her bike riding father 11 years earlier.

 

National

CityLab offers advice on what to do if you’re hit by a car. You can read my take on the subject here and here.

Portlanders raise over $90,000 to help a bike rider who lost his leg in a collision get back in the saddle again.

A Seattle writer accuses the city’s mayor and DOT chief of having an anti-car ideology and driving up rents, for the crime of proposing a road diet and putting bike lanes next to the monorail.

A cycling instructor from my hometown offers advice on how to stay safe, noting over 80% of bike crashes are solo falls or a collision with another rider, or a cat or dog.

A 73-year old Texas recumbent rider was killed earlier this month; the driver claimed he didn’t see the victim because he was checking his rearview mirror. The article also notes Texas authorities are now required to report whether the driver was using a cell phone in any collision, which is a good idea anywhere. Thanks to Steve Katz for the link.

Tragic irony from Houston, as a bike rider is killed in a collision while on his way to a memorial for another rider, who was also killed in a traffic collision.

Producers for an A&E reality show shove a broadcast waiver at a New Orleans bike rider as she’s being loaded into an ambulance after a collision. And show the footage anyway despite her refusal to sign.

Bike valets park 300 bikes at the Indy 500, up from just 64 five years ago.

After the local police chief writes that a teenage Vermont driver would have been charged with murder for the high-speed crash that took both his life and the cyclist he smashed into, family and friends rush to his defense. ‘Cause, you know, boys will be boys, and we all feel the need for speed, and other than that he was a good kid, right?

A seven-year old Boston boy is hit by a stray bullet while riding his bike on the sidewalk; fortunately, he’s expected to be okay.

Caught on video: A Philly bike rider is dragged onto the sidewalk by a road raging driver after allegedly getting bumped, then punched in the face; even after viewing the video, police fail to file charges against his attacker. Evidently, punching and dragging a cyclist is perfectly okay in PA.

 

International

Cycling Weekly lists 11 types of cyclists we all know. Well, some of them, anyway.

A Canadian man is busted for trying to steal a bike from a garage, just three hours after he crashed his car into the same garage.

Toronto bike riders want the provincial government to adopt an Idaho stop law, while a Menlo Park cyclist reminds us we don’t have that law here, either.

A British sidewalk cyclist keeps riding after colliding with a toddler and swearing at the child’s mother. But says it’s his life that’s been ruined, apparently with a straight face.

Caught on video: A Brit bike rider blows through a red light, and smacks into the side of a bus.

A bike rider in the UK leaves an angry note after his bicycle is stolen. And gets a response telling him not to block wheelchair access next time.

A world-traveling French cyclist has been killed while riding in Turkey.

The maker of that Swedish bike non-helmet says his head-eveloping airbags will make standard helmets obsolete.

An Aussie mountain biker is helicoptered to safety after spending a night in a cave when she got lost in the bush.

The mayor of Kuala Lumpur urges his city to fully accept a bicycling culture.

A Thai cyclist says bicycling in Bangkok is to die for. Literally.

 

Finally…

When you’re riding your bike with a hot laptop in your messenger bag, stay the hell off SaMo sidewalks. A Napa writer says we’re a society of arrogant fools, then proves his point by demonstrating his complete misunderstanding of bike laws.

And Style tells women to go out for a casual weekend ride in your $620 shoes and $1,050 skirt.

 

Category: Bike Events, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Update: 58-year old Joshua Tree cyclist killed in high speed rear-end collision

May 25, 2015 / / 2 comments

Memorial Day weekend is historically one of the most dangerous periods for bike riders.

Sadly, that proved true for a 58-year old man from Joshua Tree on Sunday.

According to the Hi-Desert Star, the victim, whose name has been withheld, was riding a mountain bike north on Sunburst Ave, south of Jericho Way, when he was struck by a car around 8:15 pm; he died at the scene.

The Joshua tree resident was riding without lights in the gathering darkness, half an hour after sunset, when he was hit from behind by a driver traveling around 50 mph. However, he should have still been visible in the driver’s headlights on the straight and unobstructed roadway.

A street view shows a two-lane road with a dirt shoulder, and no visible speed limit sign.

The paper also notes that the victim was not wearing a helmet, although a collision at that speed was unlikely to be survivable, with or without one.

The driver, a 26-year old man from Yucca Valley, stayed at the scene and was guided in performing CPR by emergency dispatchers after calling 911. He was taken into custody on outstanding warrants while the investigation continues.

This is the 21st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third in San Bernardino County. That compares with 41 in SoCal and four in the county this time last year.

Update: The victim has been identified as Tim Kelly, a musician who often played violin at the local farmer’s market.

This is a case of a someone who shouldn’t have been riding without lights being hit by someone who shouldn’t even have been on the road. According to Z107.7 News, the driver was wanted on numerous warrants for driving without a license and a lack of registration for his car.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Tim Kelly and his loved ones.

Thanks to Michael of Center Line Rule for the update.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities, Update / Tags: , , ,

LA County DA rules Gardena police were justified to shoot and kill the unarmed brother of a bike theft victim

May 21, 2015 / / 6 comments

Finally, we know what really happened.

Or not.

In July of 2013, two men were shot by Gardena police responding to the theft of a bicycle.

Except they didn’t kill a dangerous bike thief and wound his partner in crime.

The man they mistakenly killed was the brother of the man whose bike was stolen. He was just trying to tell the officers that the men they had stopped weren’t vicious thieves, but were actually helping to look for the missing bike.

Unfortunately, the three officers didn’t seem to understand Ricardo Diaz Zeferino’s Spanish, even though customers at a nearby restaurant could clearly make out what he was saying. And he didn’t seem to understand the cops commands to stop.

Now the DA’s office has ruled that they acted within the law in shooting the unarmed man eight times — including twice in the back.

The same with what they say was the unintentional shooting of his similarly innocent friend, who was also shot in the back.

The DA’s decision was based on dash cam video, which apparently captured the whole thing. It reportedly showed Diaz Zeferino reaching into his pockets to toss unidentified items to the ground, then taking off his baseball cap, despite orders to stop. The officers opened fire when he started to raise his hands again.

The cops couldn’t see his right hand, according to the Deputy DA who reviewed the video, and believed he was going to reach for a weapon.

A weapon that didn’t exist.

Not that that inconvenient fact seems to matter to anyone.

Not surprisingly, the attorneys for the victims reached a different conclusion, arguing that the video showed the police gave confusing orders, and that Diaz Zeferino’s right hand was empty and in front of his body when they opened fire. And that the other victim, Acevedo Mendez, was shot despite keeping his hands over his head the whole time.

Unfortunately, we’ll never know which version is true, since the Gardena Police Department has refused to make the video public.

Although they did allow the cops to view the video before making their statements so they could get their stories straight.

On the other hand, whatever the video showed, it was enough to convince the city of Gardena to settle a civil rights lawsuit over the shooting for $4.7 million. Not that any amount of money will do Diaz Zeferino a lot of good.

According to the DA’s report, the toxicology report showed he had meth and alcohol in his system. Which is no more relevant to the case than whether he was wearing a bike helmet.

The three officers who opened fire are still on active patrol duty nearly two years after the shooting; the department’s internal review over the shooting was on hold until the civil case was resolved, which happened earlier this week.

The outcome of that review is something else we’ll never know about; any disciplinary action will be confidential under California law.

This is the second time this year the DA has refused to prosecute cops who killed someone in a bike-related case. And the second time that disciplinary action, if any, will be a deep, dark secret known only to the officers involved.

So if your bike is ever stolen in Gardena, maybe you’re better off just letting it go. Those cops could still be out there, ready to shoot at the drop of a hat.

Literally.

And whatever happens, don’t count on the LA County DA’s office to do a damn thing about it.

 

Category: Bikes & the Law, Law Enforcement, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , ,

Update: 31-year old bike rider killed by train in Riverside

May 21, 2015 / / 7 comments

Always wait for the barriers to lift at a railroad crossing.

A Riverside bike rider didn’t, and sadly, paid the price.

According to the Press-Enterprise, the woman was riding her bike east on Mission Inn Ave in downtown Riverside when she stopped to wait for a southbound train around 11:10 this morning.

As soon as the train passed, she continued across the tracks while the crossing arms were reportedly still down and the warning lights flashing. She was then hit and killed by a train traveling north on the tracks, whose approach would have been hidden from sight by the other train.

The victim is identified only as an apparent transient in her 30s.

This is the 20th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third in Riverside County. That compares to 41 in SoCal this time last year, and six in the county.

She is also the first bike rider to be killed in a collision with a train anywhere in Southern California since August of last year.

Update: The Press-Enterprise has identified the victim as 31-year old Virginia Gadberry of Riverside.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Virginia Gadberry and her loved ones.

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