Archive for bikinginla

Morning Links: New hope for North Fig and Santa Monica Blvd; bike rider attacked on San Gabriel River trail

January 12, 2015 / / 5 comments

Maybe bike lanes on North Figueroa aren’t dead after all.

According to the LACBC, discussions with Councilmember Gil Cedillo’s office have yielded a number of safety improvement options for a five block stretch of the roadway — including a possible road diet and bike lanes.

Of course, a five-block bike lane unconnected to a longer bikeway, let alone a network of lanes, won’t do anyone much good.

But at least it’s a step in the right direction, and it opens the possibility for further improvements.

That is, assuming the councilmember is sincere in working with bike riders, after giving cyclists the cold shoulder after taking office and accusing bike advocates of bullying in an open council session.

And leaving them feeling jerked around — if not stabbed in the back — during the process of needlessly examining, then killing, what was already a fully approved, funded and shovel-ready project.

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Meanwhile, it looks like bike lanes on Santa Monica Blvd survive for another day.

After a vocal turnout by bike riders at Tuesday’s city council session in the Biking Black Hole, the proposed Beverly Hills Greenway appears to have gained traction (pdf, scroll down).

As usual, local advocacy website Better Bike offers the most complete recap of the day’s events, as well as reviewing local coverage of the story — including a highly biased piece from the Beverly Hills Courier that should have been printed on yellow stock.

Or maybe toilet paper.

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Allyson Vought forwards word of a bike rider who was assaulted by a pedestrian on the San Gabriel River bike path in Seal Beach earlier this month.

The man reportedly stepped into the pathway and punched the cyclist in the face hard enough to knock him off his bike, then proceeded to pummel him severely before casually walking away. The victim was discovered by another rider crawling up the rocky embankment leading to the river, bleeding from the face, head, arms and legs.

Disturbingly, police never showed up in response to the 911 call, even though riders followed the attacker for over 20 minutes.

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Once again, you can win a ride with Laemmle Theaters president and LACBC board member Greg Laemmle.

Just explain why you want to ride with Greg, and you could win free entry to the 2015 Climate Ride, and $2500 towards your fundraising requirements, along with an Unlimited Laemmle Movie Pass for the rest of this year.

Not a bad deal.

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When is it too muddy for cyclocross?

When parks officials in Austin TX, home of this year’s national championships, decide to postpone the final day’s events because of wet conditions; stunned riders who refused to leave the park were threatened with arrest.

Donations are being raised for competitors who hadn’t budgeted for the extra day.

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The New York Times looks at Baltimore’s allegedly drunken and texting hit-and-run Bishop; thanks to George Wolfberg for the link.

The Baltimore Sun reports she was charged with manslaughter, hit-and-run and DUI, after blowing nearly three times the legal limit. As of Friday, she was in custody, being held on $2.5 million bond.

Meanwhile, a local letter writer says shock does not excuse the moral depravity of refusing to stop after hitting someone. Well put.

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Local

LA’s long promised bike share system could actually come to DTLA next year, with the first test stations opening as early as October of this year.

Santa Monica police are expanding patrols looking for violations that threaten the safety of cyclists, regardless of whether they’re committed by drivers or bike riders.

The Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition offers a questionnaire for candidates in the city’s mayoral race; they’re also participating in a forum for mayoral candidates on the 14th. The LACBC should have a questionnaire for candidates in LA’s council elections soon.

Milestone Rides hosts a session on Bike Touring 101 at Stan’s Bike Shop in Monrovia on Saturday the 17th.

 

State

The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition names Long Beach-based folding bike maker Tern as their Community Partner of the Year for the company’s support of the city’s CicloSDias open streets event.

San Diego’s bike share program is about to put 1,500 bikes on the streets.

Davis police recover 69 stolen bikes, but need to find the owners so they can press charges.

Sadly, a Folsom fireman is fighting for his life after being struck from behind by a bike rider while out running on a pathway.

 

National

The new Close Call Database tracks driver-on-cyclist hate. I’m afraid I’ve lost track of who sent me this link, so please accept my apologies and thanks.

A Portland cyclist says bicycling won’t change the symptoms of menopause, but it does make it more fun.

Bicycling contributes over $3.1 billion — that’s billion, with a b — to the economy of Washington state.

You’ve got to be kidding. An Oklahoma City councilman proposes a three-foot passing law — except this one requires cyclists to keep three feet from motor vehicles.

A Tulsa man dedicated the last two decades of his life to the belief that every kid should have a bike; sadly, he passed away last week.

A Chicago cyclist explains why bicycling tends to be less popular among African Americans. And how it helped rescue his own life.

Bad enough when a cyclist is killed in a collision; even more heartbreaking when a 74-year old PA man dies nine months after he was hit by a car.

The Washington Post offers a thoughtful examination of why cyclists break traffic laws, which basically boils down to trying to stay safe on roads that weren’t designed with us in mind. Thanks to LACBC board member Patrick Pascal for the heads-up.

 

International

A new rain-proof riding jacket will indicate your turns for you. And your bike can now keep you upright, no matter how clumsy or balance challenged you may be.

A Canadian study shows helmet use doesn’t impact your overall risk of injury while riding a bike, since they only protect against head injuries. The study, evidently conducted by Obvious University, concludes the biggest injury risk factor cyclists face is… wait for it… getting hit by a car.

A Brit cyclist is convicted of punching another rider in a fit of bike rage, then doing it again to someone else just nine months later.

Increasing cycling rates could save at least 80 lives a year in Stockholm.

The seat and handlebars vibrate on a new bike from the Netherlands when fast moving objects get to close; on most LA streets, that could make it a virtual mobile sex toy.

Firefighters pedal bikes to the blazes in Varanasi, India. But do they get to make siren noises when they ride to the rescue?

The debate over scofflaw cyclists rages on, even in the UAE.

New Zealand’s national women’s cycling championships was nearly decided by a poodle peloton pile-up.

 

Finally…

You can now buy a ridable bike for the equivalent of just $10, as long as you don’t mind if it’s made of cardboard. Nothing like a bike rack on the back of your Lamborghini.

And if you thought playing Jingle Bells on a bike was something special, how about a veritable bike orchestra?

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Thanks to John Hall for a generous donation to support this website.

Your generosity is what allows me to keep doing this.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Doublespeak in NELA, SaMo guide to Smart Cycling, and an ex-Bond bikes in the ‘Bu

January 8, 2015 / / 9 comments

Orwellian doublespeak lives in Northeast LA.

LA cyclists staged a ride and die-in in front of CD1 Councilmember Gil Cedillo’s Downtown condominium on Sunday to protest Cedillo’s flip flop — to put it nicely — on his campaign promise to support bike lanes on North Figueroa, as well as his depiction of cyclists who want a safe place to ride as “bullies.”

According to the story in the Eastsider, Cedillo spokesman Louis Reyes responded by saying the councilmember wants to improve safety for all residents, not just a single segment.

Except that studies have repeatedly shown that’s exactly what a road diet and bike lanes do, slowing traffic and improving safety for everyone. And that is what the already-approved 2010 bike plan calls for — and what cyclists are asking for.

Reyes went on to depict Sunday’s demonstration as the “tyranny of the minority.”

To paraphrase a popular movie, he keeps using that word, but I do not think that means what he thinks it means.

Someone is being a bully in this case, but it doesn’t seem to be the bike riders.

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Local

LAPD is looking for a bike rider who’s been groping women on a Canoga Park bike path.

CycleHop, the bike share vendor selected for Santa Monica’s planned program, has systems operating in Phoenix and Tampa, with others scheduled to open in Orlando and Ottawa.

Santa Monica produces a Smart Cycling guide (pdf) and gets it mostly right, including instructions to take the lane on narrow streets. But implies that cyclists can’t use left turn lanes unless there’s a bike box, and equates not wearing a helmet, and texting while riding — both of which are legal — with riding while intoxicated, which isn’t. And should note that sidewalk riding is banned in Santa Monica, not everywhere in the state.

The former Bond, James Bond rides his bike in Malibu.

 

State

Surprisingly, AAA embraces parklets.

Now that’s progress. Irvine approves a traffic plan study that will look at all forms of transportation — including bikes — rather than just motor vehicle traffic.

Bikes seem to be the new getaway vehicle of choice as a San Diego bank robber is the latest to ride from the scene of the crime.

San Jacinto Valley cyclists are devastated by the death of a popular rider who fell ill at a family Christmas gathering.

San Francisco’s BART transit police are using predictive policing to deal with a spike in bike thefts.

A San Rafael nonprofit donates 65 bikes to at-risk kids.

 

National

Turns out most people like protected bike lanes. And dedicated bike traffic signals are a hit with riders.

Someone spilled — or intentionally scattered — thumb tacks on a popular Portland bike route.

A Portland cyclist has started a Go Fund Me account to pay for a bait bike program to fight bike theft, while a local college is using GPS to catch thieves.

Denver drivers are increasingly turning away from cars in favor of alternatives, including bikes.

They get it. The Lubbock TX paper says bicycling would be beneficial for community and local college.

A Missouri legislator thinks your bike is dangerous, and wants to require cyclists to carry liability insurance.

A Chicago Good Samaritan uses a jack to lift a truck off a bike rider until paramedics arrived.

Now that’s serious bad luck, as a Chicago cyclist has his bike stolen at the police station while reporting a stolen iPhone.

A bike-hating DC columnist suggests bike riders should have their own paths through the woods. And then have to get off their bikes and find alternate transportation once they reach city limits.

A South Carolina driver argues than no one will ever use a bike path to commute to work simply because she won’t. And neither will her husband, so that settles it.

After ranking as the nation’s second most dangerous city for cyclists in 2012, Tampa Bay is finally getting it’s act together.

Evidently, it’s still a crime to bike while black in Fort Lauderdale.

A brain-injured man is riding across Florida to raise awareness for medical marijuana.

 

International

A new rain-proof riding jacket will indicate your turns for you.

A 64-year old British Columbia woman is arrested for allegedly booby trapping a popular mountain bike trail.

Evidently, bicycling is the new Fountain of Youth, according to a study from the UK. But you already knew that, right?

The rules have finally been changed to allow pro cycling teams to be punished when their riders dope. It’s been an open secret that many, if not most, teams tacitly encouraged their riders to cheat during the doping era. Not that anything like that would happen now, of course.

The BBC reports on Volvo’s proposed bike safety system, and new anti-theft bike pedals.

Brit bike riders are urged to watch out for trucks’ blind spots. Instead of, you know, urging drivers to watch out for bikes.

Irish cyclists call for the equivalent of a three-foot passing law, and urge motorists to act like one already exists.

A Western Australia police official calls out motorists for a lack of tolerance when it comes to bike riders, while an Aussie pub shows an apparent lack thereof after turning away a group of Lycra-clad riders.

A former bike hater finally gets it, and urges Kiwi drivers to make room for cyclists.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: A Florida bike rider is verbally harassed by a road raging driver; seriously, if you’re in that big a hurry that you can’t let a bike slow you down long enough to pass, why would you get out of your truck to yell at the rider? A Connecticut man is suing New York City for $60 million not forcing him to wear a helmet when he rented a Citi Bike; clearly, he was incapable of choosing to wear one himself, even before banging his head.

And a Brit stockbroker is fired after tweeting a joke about hitting a cyclist and leaving the scene; naturally, a petition has been started to get his job back.

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Thanks to Adeel Mansour for making a generous donation to support this site.

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

73-year old handcyclist killed in Palm Desert collision on Monday; first SoCal bicycling death this year

January 7, 2015 / / 3 comments

A bike rider from Colorado lost her life riding in Southern California, just five days into the new year.

According to the Desert Sun, 73-year old Rose Peters of Durango CO was hit by a car in Palm Desert this past Monday, and died after being taken to a local hospital.

The collision occurred around 11:30 am at the intersection of Mesa View and Highway 74. There’s no word on who may have been responsible, though the paper says drug or alcohol use is not believed to be a factor.

Her hometown Durango Herald adds more information, reporting that she was hit in a left cross when the driver made a left turn directly into her bike, striking it on the side. She suffered extensive injuries, dying about an hour later.

Tragically, Peters’ husband, who was waiting for her further down the road, was unaware of her death until several hours later; according to the Durango Herald, he got the news after calling several area hospitals to learn her condition.

The couple had been married for over 50 years, and had often ridden together on tours such as the Ride the Rockies and the Bicycle Tour of Colorado, as well as riding across the country a few years back.

She was a volunteer with Incight, an organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities reach their full potential. The couple was spending the winter in the area, living in a mobile home.

The wreck is still under investigation. Anyone with information is urged to contact Palm Desert Police Deputy Chris Lauer at 760/836-1600; you can also call anonymously at 760/341-7, re: incident #T150050062.

This is the first bicycling fatality in Southern California this year.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Rose Peters and all her loved ones.

Thanks to Zak and new BikinginLA sponsor Michael Rubinstein for the heads-up. 

 

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

Morning Links: Finish the Ride gets bigger for 2015; support the revised Beverly Hills Greenway on Tuesday

January 4, 2015 / / 5 comments

This is going to be my last post for a few day.

I’m moving to a new apartment in Hollywood on Sunday, leaving behind the Westside neighborhood my wife and I have finally been priced out of after more than 20 years. And unfortunately, Internet service won’t be installed in our new home for a few days after that.

So enjoy this post. Take your time reading the news and exploring the links. And I’ll be back later this week.

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Big news from Damian Kevitt and Finish the Ride, which not only offers the option of a more challenging route, but opens the event up to virtually everyone. Click on the images for a larger version. 

Finish the Ride Flyer for PRINT

Finish the Ride Flyer

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The Beverly Hills City Council is scheduled to discuss the planned remake of Santa Monica Blvd at Tuesday’s 2:30 pm council session, including installing much needed bike lanes on the boulevard through the city to connect with lanes in West Hollywood and Century City.

Something leaders of the Biking Black Hole have rejected more than once. Even though it already ranks as the most dangerous city of its size in the entire state.

And even though their decisions impact the city’s and people around them.

However, a new plan is on the table for what is now being called the Beverly Hills Greenway, which addresses many of the complaints previously raised to argue against the bike lanes. Or at least, the more rational ones.

Developed by Better Bike and the LACBC in conjunction with other cycling advocates, the plan would straighten out the varying widths of the boulevard, resulting in no net loss of parkland alongside — while making it safer and more inviting for everyone, including the tourists the city depends on.

You can show your support by signing the petition or attending the council session on Tuesday. Or better yet, both.

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Blame — or possibly thank, depending on your point of view — bicycling for the possible loss of Bono’s six string skills, as he says his new titanium elbow may prevent him from ever playing the guitar again.

Then again, as he points out, his band mates have reminded him that “neither they nor Western Civilization are depending on this.”

Thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up.

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Local

Caught on video: Flying Pigeon looks at the traffic hell that is North Figueroa during morning rush hour; notice the extreme lack of cars that makes bike lanes impossible. Or not.

LADOT is looking for a Community Affairs Advocate to serve as a liaison to the city council and other elected officials, as well as community groups.

Rick Risemberg explains why it takes so long to get bike racks installed in LA, let alone anything else bike related.

 

State

After a year of delays, San Diego’s long-promised bike share program is ready to roll this month, cross their hearts.

Turns out I’m not the only SoCal rider to have an unpleasant bee encounter.

San Jose introduces back-in diagonal parking to improve safety in advance of a planned bike lane.

As too often happens, an Anderson CA cyclist can’t remember the hit-and-run that sent him to the hospital with major injuries; evidently, according to the CHP, the victim was not wearing a flak jacket, hockey mask or other forms of safety equipment.

 

National

Next City asks why it isn’t against the law to kill a cyclist with a car. Damn good question.

Now that’s more like it. An alleged Wyoming drunk driver accused of killing one cyclist and critically injuring another faces a sentence of eight to ten years in prison, followed by ten years probation.

A Milwaukee writer looks at why drivers harass cyclists and pedestrians who aren’t even breaking the law.

A Connecticut writer complains about the $10 million cost to make a bridge safe for cyclists, but doesn’t seem to be concerned about the $33 million it will cost to rehabilitate it for cars.

Brooklyn’s Borough President says we need to embrace bicycling because cars are so old school, darn it.

 

International

Columbian pro Darwin Atapuma is recovering after being slashed by thieves attempting to steal his bike. Meanwhile, if you thought Lance wasn’t the only pro cyclist who doped, boy, were you right.

A year after a tooth-and-nail battle over a Vancouver bikeway that closed a street to motor vehicles, the plan has actually worked.

An English cyclist plans to break a seemingly unbreakable record by riding over 75,000 miles this year — over 200 miles a day, every day, for the entire year. Let’s hope he can avoid getting sick or hitting a pothole.

I love it. A UK cyclist hands out red cards to offending drivers; in this country, we’d need a whistle and a red flag.

The Irish Times takes a look at the 10 best international bicycling vacations, none of which are anywhere near the US.

The Economist looks at Sweden’s Vision Zero to reduce traffic deaths to, well, zero. Which is finally spreading to LA.

An escaped Greek hit man was busted while riding a bike.

Kiwi cyclists push to have the country’s helmet law repealed; someone should tell the country’s leaders it’s more effective to encourage helmet use without making it mandatory.

An Aussie cyclist is nabbed for biking under the influence on New Years Eve after blowing over five times the legal limit; on the other hand, I think we can all be glad he wasn’t driving.

 

Finally…

Instant karma caught on video: A drunk allegedly steals a bike, then loses several teeth crashing into a cement trashcan before getting arrested. A Brit woman whines about the mythical Cycling Widows Club instead of just getting on her bike and riding with her significant other.

And Bradley Wiggins reveals how pro riders stay warm on cold rides, and why their shorts may have a yellow tinge at the end.

Which is something I really didn’t want to know.

 

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

Morning Links: Fat tire biking the Iditarod trail, Aussie ped safety video and best wishes for a happy New Year

December 30, 2014 / / One comment

And you thought it was cold in LA this week.

Now that my formerly Iditarod-racing brother has traded his dog sled for a bike, he shares a few images of fat tire riding the same famed trail he used to mush.

photo by Eric Rogers

Photo by Eric Rogers

Photo by Eric Rogers

Photo by Eric Rogers

And no, I’m only a little jealous.

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A surprisingly hard-hitting safety video from Australia personalizes pedestrian safety from both sides of the issue. Too bad no one has the guts to do something like that in this country.

Let alone do one for bikes.

Video courtesy of Wolfpack Hustle.

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‘Tis the season.

An Orange County woman helps ensure that 40 kids’ bicycle dreams came true this Christmas. Cincinnati’s Bike Lady gives bikes to 116 local foster kids. And a British bike Santa passes out bike-related gifts at the end of a three-mile family ride.

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Local

Cast your vote for the year’s final Streetsie Award, for Excellence in Advocacy; right now, it’s a very tight race between Finish the Ride, Tafarai Bayne and Cynthia Rose. And don’t forget to vote for Journalist/Writer of the Year.

Two teenage mountain bike riders are rescued after spending the night in the forest above Altadena.

The Boston Cyclists Union says forget the cold and get out and ride, already; good advice for LA this week. Let alone Alaska.

Don’t forget the free bike valet at LA’s biggest New Years Eve celebration tonight.

 

State

A Laguna Beach high school and middle school launches a mountain bike team.

BikeSD is looking for a part-time Business Coordinator.

A Riverside cyclist is recovering after suffering major injuries in a collision.

The CHP writes 36 tickets in an effort to improve bike and pedestrian safety in Sacramento County. At least one went to a cyclist for riding too far too the left, also known as taking the lane, which is usually legal.

A San Francisco man claims police dragged him from his house and beat him unconscious for riding on the sidewalk; imagine what they would have done if he’d run a stop sign.

 

National

Bicycling offers their favorite Kickstarters of the year.

A North Dakota man gets his banana-seat bike back after 39 years.

San Antonio offers an award in the death of a father who was shot while teaching his son to ride a bike on Christmas Day.

A writer calls for making auto-centric Houston safe for cyclists and pedestrians through neighborhood greenways.

A Chicago bike rider sues over an allegedly faulty bike path design that left her partially paralyzed after riding off a nine-foot drop.

A New York woman who was knocked down by a bike-riding former American Gladiator calls for a 15 mph speed limit for bikes in Central Park. Then again, it wouldn’t be much of a story if she’d been hit by almost anyone else.

A Manhattan CEO walks away from his job to start a new bike brand for casual riders.

No hypocrisy here. The hit-and-run Baltimore bishop who ran after killing a cyclist on Saturday had just delivered a sermon on accountability. Which she clearly meant for everyone else.

Evidently, hit-and-run has no age limit, as an 88-year old Florida man is arrested for fleeing the scene after killing a former NFL player riding his bike.

 

International

An 80-year British Columbia cyclist wins a $100,000 court verdict against the road raging driver who knocked him off his bike.

Unbelievable. A Canadian man is convicted of killing a cyclist while driving drunk — at three times the legal limit, no less — with multiple priors, and they still let him out during the day. But at least he got a lifetime ban from driving.

Madrid bike riders face fines of up to the equivalent of nearly $1,500 for the heinous crime of… wait for it… riding on the sidewalk.

Malta drivers are warned to watch out for hedgehogs, but not bike riders.

An Aussie barber on a bike rides his fixie to clip his customers.

A motorist from Down Under asks if he can drive in bike lanes now that bike riders aren’t required to stay in them, and demands that cyclists ride single file with a two-bike length space between them.

 

Finally…

Turns out Portland’s Bureau of Transportation has a sense of humor when it comes to bike lane symbols; we could use something like that here. Evidently, we need a bicycle dashboard inspired by Audi, complete with turn signals; after all, it’s just so hard to stick your arm out to let drivers know you’re turning.

And a Kiwi junior cycling champ trades a bike saddle for a bareback bronc; who knew they had cowboys, let alone rodeos?

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Thanks to Mark Jones for his generous donation to support this site.

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Please accept my best wishes for a very healthy, happy and prosperous new year.

And be careful out there; I want to see you all back here in 2015.

 

Category: Morning Links /

Update: The holiday bloodbath continues — teenage bike rider killed in Rialto

December 30, 2014 / / 3 comments

Word is just coming in that a young bike rider was killed in a Rialto collision this evening, the fourth SoCal cyclist to die in the last three days.

According to the Press-Enterprise, the collision occurred around 5:40 Monday evening near the intersection of Riverside Avenue and South Street; police found the victim on the sidewalk in front of 335 S. Riverside Ave.

He was unresponsive and suffering from major injuries when police arrived, and died after being taken to a local hospital.

The paper identifies the victim only as a juvenile Hispanic male; other sources that aren’t available online yet give his age as 13.

The paper reports the driver remained on the scene and is cooperating with investigators; alcohol is not believed to be a factor. Which could mean that the driver was sober, or had not consumed enough to be intoxicated.

No other information is available at this time, and no word on how the collision occurred.

This is the 85th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 11th in San Bernardino County. It’s also the first cycling death in Rialto in the last four years.

And hopefully the last.

Update: The victim has been identified as 16-year old Ryan J. Martinez of Rialto. 

According to the Press-Enterprise, Martinez was riding near his father’s home on a new bike he’d just gotten for Christmas. He was reportedly going the wrong way on Riverside when he was hit head-on by a northbound car. 

He died one day after his mother’s birthday. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the Ryan Martinez and his family and friends.

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

36-year old bike rider killed in Fountain Valley collision; third Southern California bike fatality in three days

December 29, 2014 / / 2 comments

Then there were three.

After going a full 30 days without a bicycling fatality, three Southern California bike riders have lost their lives in the past three days, as a rider succumbs to injuries suffered in a Fountain Valley collision on Saturday.

According to KTLA-5, 36-year old Westminster resident Vinh Tran was riding south on Brookhurst Street at Heil Ave when he was struck by a Jeep driven by William Joseph Klein of Santa Ana.

Tran was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he died earlier today.

He was reportedly riding next to the curb when he was rear-ended by Klein. A street view shows three southbound lanes on Brookhurst, with right turn lane near Heil; it’s possible Klein may have been attempting to make a right turn when he ran into Tran.

Then again, it’s also possible Klein may not have been in control of his vehicle, since he was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of a prescription drug. He was taken into custody on Saturday on suspicion of felony DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter, and is being held on $100,000 bond.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Fountain Valley Police Department at 714-593-4484.

This is the 84th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 19th in Orange County; that compares with 12 in the county last year. It’s also the second cycling death to occur on Brookhurst in Fountain Valley in the last three years, just 2.6 miles apart.

My deeper sympathy and prayers for Vinh Tran and all his loved ones.

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

81-year old cyclist killed in San Bernardino rear-end collision

December 29, 2014 / / 2 comments

After going nearly a full month without a bicycling fatality anywhere in Southern California, we now have two deaths just days apart in the Inland Empire.

According to the San Bernardino Sun, 81-year old San Bernardino resident William Francis Easley, a well-known business owner, philanthropist and political leader was killed while riding his bike early this morning.

Easley was riding with another cyclist just after six am when he was struck by a car on the 1000 block of E. Lynwood Ave. His riding partner, a local physician, immediately began CPR, but Easley died after being transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center.

The paper reports both riders were using rear flashers and reflectors in the early pre-dawn hour, and that Easley was wearing a helmet; however, it does not note whether he suffered a head injury.

More details come from the Riverside Press-Enterprise, which clarifies that the riders were struck from behind while headed west in the right lane on Lynwood. A satellite view shows an extremely wide right lane; however, it’s likely there were cars parked along the curb at that hour, which could have forced the riders into the traffic lane to void the door zone.

The unlicensed driver remained at the scene and reportedly cooperated with investigators.

Easley was an experienced rider, according to the Sun, and would regularly ride with a small group of cyclists.

He had started his career as an accountant, and had gone to own a chain of business interior companies, as well becoming involved in restaurants and real estate, and had been active in local politics.

His death comes just two days after another rider lost his life in Riverside; prior to that, it had been a full month since the last fatal bicycling collision in Southern California.

This is the 83rd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 10th in San Bernardino County; he is also the sixth bike rider to lose his life in the city of San Bernardino in just the last three years.

My deepest sympathy and prayers to William Easley and all his loved ones.

Thanks to Mark Friis, Executive Director of the Inland Empire Biking Alliance for the heads-up.

 

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

Morning Links: Bike parking loses to BBQ in Sunnyvale, bike rider shot in Carson, and more bike giveaways

December 29, 2014 / / 3 comments

Evidently, blocked bike racks aren’t just an LA problem.

Ralph Durham forwards this photo of a Sunnyvale Lowe’s store, where bike parking clearly takes a back seat to barbecue.

Sunnyvale-blocked-bike-racks

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‘Tis the season.

An annual memorial bike drive in Lompoc distributes 95 bikes to local children. And an Atlanta non-profit gives 20 bikes to kids despite being robbed of $5,000 worth of equipment and office supplies two days earlier.

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Local

In yet another waste of human life, a 27-year old man was shot to death in Carson, apparently while riding his bike.

LA riders usually don’t have to worry about dressing for cold weather, but we may want to rethink that this week.

The New York Times belatedly recognizes that it’s possible to tour LA on two feet; now if we could just get them to admit the same about two-wheeled tourists.

 

State

A 60-year old bike rider suffers life-threatening head injuries in a solo fall in San Diego’s Mira Mesa neighborhood. He reportedly wasn’t wearing a bike helmet; falls like that are exactly what helmets are designed to protect against.

Rancho Cucamonga cyclists will enjoy new bike lanes when the extension of Wilson Ave is complete in May.

Santa Cruz police are looking for the driver of a white pickup who fled the scene after killing a cyclist on Friday.

A Livermore cyclist lost his life in a horrifying wreck when he swerved to avoid a collision between two riders in a group ride, fell onto the wrong side of the road and was hit by a truck; the victim was about to take over as principal of a Napa high school.

 

National

South Dakota attempts to improve safety for motorists by making the state’s roads more dangerous for bike riders.

A Rhode Island man rides 8,000 miles through 48 states on a $100 bike. Which begs the question, what about the other two?

A Baltimore cyclist is killed in a hit-and-run on one of the city’s best bike lanes; the driver turns out to be an Episcopal bishop, who reportedly was arrested on drinking, driving and drug charges in 2010.

 

International

A UK cyclist completes a 2,000 mile fundraising journey to Spain — despite breaking his shoulder on the third day of the ride.

A British man runs home to get his bike and catches a mugger who robbed a tourist on Christmas Day.

An Amsterdam cyclist is wanted by police for assaulting a bus driver who he says threatened his girlfriend with his bus.

Russia’s crashing ruble could undermine the Tinkoff-Saxo pro cycling team.

Instead of taming dangerous traffic, Dubai police urge cyclists to stay off major roads. And sidewalks.

Abu Dhabi wants to be bike friendly by 2020.

Bangkok authorities open a new five mile bikeway as a New Years gift for the people.

 

Finally…

Dealing with LA drivers is bad enough; cyclists in the other LA are dodging bullets from illegal hunters in Baton Rouge parks. Caught on video: A drunk attempts to ride a bike suspended outside a bike shop, with predictable results.

And an arrest is finally made in the theft of a Miami mailman’s postal bike last March. Yes, they deliver mail by bike in Miami Beach.

……..

Just a quick heads-up. I’ll be moving to a new apartment at the end of this week, so my apologies in advance if I’m not able to keep up with regular posting this week. We’ll get back to a regular schedule once everything gets unpacked and things settle down.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Riverside bike rider killed in sideswipe collision; 1st cycling fatality this month

December 27, 2014 / / 3 comments

It couldn’t last.

For the first 26 days of this month, there hadn’t been a single bicycling fatality anywhere in Southern California. It looked, for a time, like we might actually finish the year without another rider losing his life

Sadly, that ended today.

According to the Riverside Press-Enterprise, 68-year old Israel Cerda Contreras was riding east in the right lane of Central Avenue east of the 91 Freeway just after noon today.

Witnesses told police that he began weaving as he struggled to ride uphill. As he did, he reportedly drifted into the far left lane on the six lane street, and was clipped from behind by a car traveling in the same direction.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver stopped, and was not suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

To make matters worse, Mark Friis reports the collision occurred in the same spot where David Mendez lost his life earlier this year. Mendez was the first bike rider killed this year; with luck, Contreras will be the last.

This is the 82nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 13th in Riverside County.

Let’s hope we can finish the year without another one.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Israel Contreras and all his family.

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