Archive for bikinginla

Morning Links: Biking helps beat depression, and slowing down cars could increase life expectancy

October 15, 2014 / / One comment

Yet another benefit of bicycling. A Swedish study says muscles can protect against depression.

Meanwhile, a medical study worth revisiting concludes Americans could increase their life expectancy simply by driving slower.

Especially for those of us who have to share the road with them.

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Belated best wishes for Sukkot, which somehow slipped past me, for all those who observe it.

I’m reminded courtesy of an enterprising New York yeshiva student who delivers Judaism by bike through portable sukkahs mounted on pedicabs.

Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

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Local

A writer for KCET says as CicLAvia continues to grow, Angelenos do too.

Nine of the 14 SaMo city council candidates talk bikes with Santa Monica Next.

Seriously? A letter writer in the Daily Breeze (fourth item) says bikes don’t belong on the road any more than horses do; thanks to Margaret for the link.

 

State

A hearing was postponed for the allegedly intoxicated, meth hiding San Diego driver who ran down a group of cyclists, leaving one permanently paralyzed.

A Hesperia mother seeks justice for the still unsolved hit-and-run death of her bike riding son; Daniel Sanchez was killed after positioning himself to protect his date from an approaching pickup.

In a very bizarre case, a San Francisco cyclist sues after being arrested for riding with his infant in a Baby Bjorn carrier.

San Francisco police address a double parked car blocking a bike rider, but ignore vehicles parked in a bike lane. Evidently, the problem isn’t limited to the Bay, either.

Now that’s what I call a ciclovia, as Northern California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park goes car-free for the second time this year on Saturday.

 

National

The Bike League wants to know your big idea for bike advocacy.

Evidently, they take human life seriously in Hawaii, as a careless driver gets 10 years for drifting across a roadway and killing a bike rider. Note to West Hawaii Today: 66 years old is not elderly.

A local TV station explains how Seattle’s new bike share program works; the mayor is already considering expansion.

An NPR reporter biking through Texas discovers riding like a pro allows you to eat like a pig.

Despite a dramatic improvement in infrastructure, bicycling deaths in New York have doubled over the last year.

Evidently, a coat of purple paint is not enough to disguise a stolen New York Citi Bike.

Why do cities wait until it’s already too late before they get serious about bike and pedestrian safety?

 

International

An Edmonton writer says city officials should give up on bike lanes because no one is going to ride during the winter. Ignoring the fact that people bike year-round in cold weather cities around the world.

Turn out Harrison Ford is one of us, as he dons spandex and yes, compression socks for a spin around London.

Big hearted Brits donate over £3000 — nearly $5000 — after a bike is stolen from a charity auction.

Just heartbreaking. A driver was holding the hand of a cyclist he’d just hit to comfort the man until help arrived when they were both struck by another car.

The car carrying Australia’s premier nearly hits a cyclist “riding dangerously down the middle of the road.” Or in other words, someone who was most likely riding safely by taking the lane.

 

Finally…

I want to ride it. A Glasgow artist creates a human-powered rollercoaster — in effect a multilevel figure-eight velodrome. Caught on video: A stunt rider pulls a major endo on landing after a forward flip 72 feet in the air; then again, just riding that knife edge before the jump is enough to give me nightmares.

And would you pay $99 to avoid getting stuck at another red light?

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Update: Bike rider killed in Agoura Hills

October 14, 2014 / / 5 comments
Photo of the collision scene courtesy of Chris Willig

Photo of the collision scene courtesy of Chris Willig

I’m just getting word of a fatal bicycling collision just outside of Agoura Hills last night.

Details are still sparse, however, a bike rider identified only as Pete was struck and killed at the intersection of Kanan Road and Triunfo Canyon Road in unincorparated LA County sometime yesterday evening.

The victim was well known and liked in the area; local residents report he was often seen riding his bike through the canyons, though usually without lights.

Sadly, he leaves behind a wife and two teenage daughters. He reportedly didn’t have insurance; a fund will be set up to help pay funeral expenses.

Hopefully, we’ll get more information soon.

This is the 71st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 27th in Los Angeles County.

Update: Chris Willig reports the victim’s full name is Pete Young. He was struck by a Prius headed south on Kanan around 7:16 pm, at which time it would have been full darkness, and was tended to by a doctor who lives in the area before EMTs arrived.

Willig also forwards a video — which I’m not posting due to the graphic nature of the collision scene — which shows a debris field strewn roughly 30 to 40 feet from the intersection to the right shoulder.

It would appear Young was riding just to the right of the through lane as it crossed the intersection, and that the driver would have to have drifted out of the traffic lane to hit him, and continued towards the right shoulder after the collision.

As always, the question is why. 

Update 2: Evidently, pictures can be deceiving. According to a spokesperson for the CHP, Young was traveling west on Triunfo when he allegedly rode through a stop sign and was struck by a Kia — not a Prius — driven by a 19-year old driver. The driver, who was reportedly an emotional mess following the incident, stayed at the scene and attempted to help Young. 

Meanwhile, a fund has been established to help defray funeral expenses for Young’s family; as of 2:30 pm today, it has already raised $1000 of the $7500 goal. 

Update 3: Area resident Chris Willig offers more insights into the collision.

The CHP spokesperson is mistaken about the travel direction, Young was eastbound on Triunfo (where it doglegs to the south) preparing to make a left turn onto northbound Kanan (it is a skewed “T” intersection with Kanan headed briefly to the southeast). Young’s family lived on the south of Kanan off Mulholland, he worked on the north side and frequently made this trip. The attached aerial is top north (and unfortunately doesn’t show the recent restriping).

The impact point is to the right of the regular travel lane by several feet and would have be a “T”-bone type of hit. Since the travel lane is one lane width in front (to the southwest) of the stop limit line, it is plausible he stopped and then moved forward. The vehicle seems to have been to the right of the travel lane. This could have been the principal cause of the collision, catching Young off guard in what he might have thought was a “safe” zone.

Kanan transitions from one-lane in each direction to 2 south-bound and and one north bound lane. The right lane at the intersection are meant for turns only, but frequently through traffic violates this. We recently got the county to modify the intersection striping to make this more clear. Despite the new paint, drivers are still intent on the relatively long steep grade in front of them, lunging for more speed and the wider road ahead.

CollisionSite_PeteYoung

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Pete Young and and all his family. 

Thanks to Chris Willig and Leland Tang for their help with this story.

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

Morning Links: Record your bike’s serial number, cycling helps keep you safe during surgery, LACBC needs new ED

October 14, 2014 / / One comment

Good advice from Lifehacker, as they say to always keep your bike’s serial number handy in case of theft.

My suggestion is to take photos of your bike and the serial number with your cell phone, then email them to your yourself. That way, you’ll have copies in multiple places so you won’t lose or accidently delete them. And having a photo eliminates any risk of transcribing errors.

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There are countless benefits to bicycling. But who knew one of them is that riders and walkers are five times less likely to die during surgery?

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Local

Have experience leading a nonprofit? The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is looking for a skilled new Executive Director (pdf), as well as a part-time bookkeeper (pdf). A great opportunity to help build SoCal’s leading bike organization into one of the nation’s top bike advocacy groups.

Speaking of the LACBC, they’re hosting the first ever Firefly Ball at the end of this month to benefit the coalition and honor civic leaders who help make the city more bike friendly.

The Santa Monica Bike Center won this summer’s National Bike Challenge.

SaMo will host a Halloween themed Kidical Mass on Saturday, the 25th.

Kross-tober Fest brings cyclocross to Long Beach this Sunday.

 

State

A new two-mile bike path opens in La Mirada, part of a planned 66-mile loop around Orange County.

Palm Springs hosts a Cycledelic bike festival this Thursday to celebrate new bike lanes, a bike corral and Bike Fix-it station.

San Bernardino police are out on bike patrol, which proves popular with the public.

A bike rider was killed after being hit by several cars while riding salmon in the traffic lane on I-80 in Vacaville; no word on why he was on the highway, let alone riding the wrong way in traffic.

Cars will be banned from San Francisco’s lower Market Street by 2017, which will eventually feature raised cycle tracks. But why do you need a raised bikeway if there won’t be any cars?

 

National

Bike Radar offers five tips for beginning riders to avoid ruining a big bike ride.

Three Portland road diets prevent 37 crashes a year at a cost of just $500,000.

Bryce Canyon National Park plans a possible eight mile bike and pedestrian path.

Kansas get its first protected bike lane.

Shameful. An NYPD police investigation shows a bus driver failed to yield when he left crossed a cyclist, leaving a Swedish model brain dead. Yet he walks away without charges, while she doesn’t. And never will.

Take note LA: A New York Streetsblog report says implementing the city’s Vision Zero plan will require a major culture change, as the previous item makes painfully clear.

Ooh, scary. Philadelphia’s new bike vigilante is taking on scofflaw riders by posting posters.

 

International

A British cyclist is knocked off his bike with a piece of wood and punched repeatedly by two men before they ran off; no word on whether it was a robbery attempt, random violence or if they knew the victim.

Evidently, a British town has decided bikes are more dangerous than cars, as they inexplicably ban bicycles from the town center 24 hours a day, but allow cars for 12.

A French driver is charged with deliberately running over a cyclist and fleeing the scene following a dispute in Barcelona.

Newsweek discovers people in Copenhagen ride bikes, and cities around the world are trying to copy their success.

Bike advocates dismiss planned upgrades to Brisbane roads as mere window dressing.

An Aussie advocate says the bike versus car attitude has to stop.

 

Finally…

No, seriously. If you’ve got a bag full of meth hidden in your bike’s handlebars, put a damn light on it already. Turns out New York’s bike riding Senator Schumer takes calls while he’s riding, but will only stop riding if it’s from the president.

And a livid writer for the Daily Mail sputters that lycra louts must have license plates.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Morning Links: Tuskegee Airmen greet Ride 2 Recovery, Garden Grove opens streets, and stupid criminal tricks

October 12, 2014 / / 3 comments
 
Local

Over 200 riders, many vets recovering from serious injuries, completed the 450 mile UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery. And were joined by two of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen at the finish.

Boyonabike says it’s time for Pasadena to do more to make the streets safer for cyclists, because the three-foot law isn’t enough.

 

State

Garden Grove hosts its first Open Streets event, the second in Orange County in just two weeks; Bike Newport Beach calls it a smashing success.

A San Diego cyclist is seriously injured in a Sunday morning hit-and-run.

A very tongue-in-cheek San Jose letter writer complains that thoughtless bike riders add as much as 20 seconds to his daily commute. And keep reading for a typical windshield perspective comment from a county deputy.

 

National

A writer for the Business Insider explains what Americans don’t understand about bicycling, and why the US needs to copy the top bike cities in Europe.

Bicycling offers advice on how to deal with aggressive dogs. In my experience, the best approach is to give them an order to sit or go home in a loud, firm voice. Dogs are trained to respond to commands, so they’ll usually obey at least long enough to make your getaway.

A New York cyclist tells drivers not to be hypocrites in complaining about cyclists, because everyone in New York breaks traffic law. Meanwhile, the Times says everyone on the streets menaces everyone else.

A West Virginia letter writer complains about lost revenue from parking meters removed to make way for an under used bike lane.

Instead of building bikeways, Newport News decides to widen sidewalks for riders and walkers to share; never mind that sidewalk riding is more dangerous than riding in the street.

Nice. A South Carolina bicycling group pitches in to buy a three-wheeled tandem so a long-time member suffering from ALS can continue to ride with them.

 

International

A Canadian cyclist gets his $5000 stolen bike back, even if it cost him $400 to do it.

A UK engineer develops a lock to prevent the theft of quick release wheels.

An Aussie paper says the solution to scofflaw cyclists is properly designed, connected infrastructure.

 

Finally…

Stupid criminal tricks: A suspected Brit bike thief drowns after riding into a harbor to escape the police in a case of instant karma. If you have an outstanding warrant and carrying concealed weapons, put a damn headlight on your bike.

And if you’re planning to make your getaway by bike, wear glasses so a bystander can’t spray something into your eyes and you won’t ride into a police cruiser.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , ,

Update: Bike rider killed in Pearblossom collision; 70th SoCal cycling death of 2014

October 11, 2014 / / One comment

News is just coming in that a bike rider has been killed in a collision in Pearblossom, near Lancaster in north LA County.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the victim, identified only as a woman, was struck by a vehicle at 7:42 pm Saturday at the intersection of Longview and Le Page Ranch Roads. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

No other details are available at this time.

A street view shows a narrow, two-lane highway with dirt shoulders intersected on one side by a dirt road.

This is the 70th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 26th in Los Angeles County. That compares to 69 in SoCal this time last year, and 29 in LA County.

Update: My News LA places the collision site one-half mile from the Devil’s Punchbowl in the Angeles National Forest. 

Update 2: The Antelope Valley Times identifies the victim as Karla A. Thiel, a transient living in Littlerock. 

According to the paper, Thiel was positioned two feet inside the white line. However, she was wearing dark clothes and riding without lights or reflectors; the driver reportedly never saw her before hitting her from behind at 45 mph. 

Although someone should tell the CHP spokesman that in a collision at that speed, whether or not she was wearing a helmet is pretty irrelevant. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Karla Thiel and her loved ones.

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

Weekend Links: A massive list o’links and a whopping videopalooza

October 10, 2014 / / Comments Off on Weekend Links: A massive list o’links and a whopping videopalooza

It’s a veritable link and video-palooza today on BikinginLA.

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Caught on video: This is what anti-bike harassment looks like, in all it’s brutal ugliness.

Here in LA, this video would be all the evidence needed to file — and win — a suit against the driver under the city’s cyclist anti-harassment ordinance.

Instead, the Kentucky cyclist, Cherokee Schill, was charged and convicted for the crime of riding a bike in the traffic lane. And the police look the other way when she’s threatened and harassed by angry motorists.

Which is a polite way of saying they don’t give a damn because they don’t think she belongs there to begin with.

Fortunately, she’s less than $200 away from the $10,000 needed to appeal her illegal conviction.

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Caught on video: Before Governor Brown signed the current three-foot passing law, he vetoed a much better version that would have allowed drivers to briefly cross the center line to pass cyclists when it was safe to do so, fearing endless carnage and lawsuits.

Even though the state is largely immune from being sued. But still.

Evidently, it’s not that big a deal, as this video from the Austin TX police department shows.

Any chance we could get Brown to watch this?

No, I didn’t think so.

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Caught on video: An irate woman berates a Chicago cyclist for riding on the sidewalk, nearly getting herself arrested in the process. And being unclear on the concept, tells him to ride in the street before wishing he gets hit by a car, which is probably why he was on the sidewalk to begin with.

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Caught on video: I missed this one earlier this year, as three cyclists experience a viscous goathead attack on the San Gabriel River trail. Thanks to David Wolfberg for the link.

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And one more while we’re at it.

Caught on video: Wolfpack Hustle offers video of the recent Huntington Park Gran Prix.

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Good advice, as a writer suggests three things all cyclists should do.

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Great idea. UCLA is hosting Bike (Re)cycling Day on Sunday the 19th; the university’s police and transportation departments will give out free abandoned bikes and parts to UCLA students, staff and faculty members.

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If you hurry, you may still be able to make one last training ride today before next Saturday’s first ever El Gran Fondo de Angeles Crest. And my apologies for not getting this notice up sooner.

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Local

Okay, so it’s not bike related. But in an apparent case of induced demand, travel times on the 405 freeway have increased a full minute following the $1 billion —that’s billion with a b — project to add an HOV lane through the Sepulveda pass.

Good news for Valley cyclists, as the second phase of the San Fernando Road bike path opens.

Turns out there will be three workshops to discuss the Las Virgenes Malibu Regional Bike Master Plan, in Malibu on the 21st, Westlake Village on the 22nd and Calabasas on the 23rd of this month.

The Pasadena Star-News calls out one of the San Gabriel Valley’s most bike unfriendly cities while endorsing Eric Sunada for Alhambra city council. Thanks to Wesley Reutimann for the tip.

Haven’t checked in with Cycling in the South Bay’s Seth Davidson for awhile; here he puts the great helmet debate in perspective.

 

State

Evidently, the DMV has reworked their website and made everything harder to find, including bike laws.

Around 4,000 people took part in last Sunday’s first ever Santa Ana ciclovia.

A San Diego writer says the new three-foot law will increase tensions with drivers, but gets it right in calling for more protected bike lanes. Another writer on the same site calls cyclists “scourges of the road,” while decrying that bikes aren’t required to stay three feet from drivers; seriously, I could spend all day just pointing out the fallacies in this piece of bikelash drivel.

Palm Springs gets its first bike corral.

Caltrans did the right thing for a change, building a pedestrian bridge and off-road bike path connecting Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties as part of a six-mile carpool lane project; I’m told it has dramatically improved safety for riders along the coast highway. Thanks to Alan for the heads-up.

Too typical. Santa Cruz creates up a sandwich sign to warn drivers to give cyclists three feet. Then puts it in the bike lane.

Yet another teenage driver faces charges in the hit-and-run death of a bike rider, this time in Milpitas.

A Monterrey couple ride 2,300 miles to attend their 50th reunion in Kansas.

San Francisco cyclists are the victims of violent assaults to steal the bikes they’re riding.

 

National

A blogger offers a great list of some truly badass biking women, including Elly Blue and our own Nona Varnado.

In the latest attempt to thin the herd by enabling more distracted drivers, a new app promises to let drivers use all their apps behind the wheel.

Despite that, it looks like the Feds are finally taking bike safety seriously, as the Department of Transportation releases new guidelines to make the streets safer for you and me. Maybe they could ban the use of onboard computer systems by drivers next.

A bike-friendly Portland convenience store finds sales exceed expectations, as 34% of customers arrive some way other than driving.

Unclear on the concept. An Ohio driver complains about cyclists riding in the traffic lane, then insists bike riders need to act like motorists.

Yet another caught on video, but one that can’t be embedded: A cyclist accuses a Penn university cop of using excessive force in a confrontation partially caught on camera.

After a New York driver runs down a cyclist from behind — and is found at fault by her own insurance company — she sues the victim for damaging her car. No, really.

Bike Snob introduces you to suddenly bike-friendly New York.

 

International

Here’s what’s wrong with London’s pie-in-the-sky proposals that would remove bike riders from the street.

“Old men in limos” are working behind the scenes to derail London’s plan for separated bike lanes.

The Daily Mail freaks out when Kerri Russell rides a bike sans helmet and talking on a cell phone.

A former British soldier recalls liberating a Dutch town in World War II by bicycle 70 years ago.

Sad to see Andy Schleck retire from pro racing at 29, after a career that started with such promise.

Okay, so maybe bicycling isn’t really the fastest form of transportation in Perth. Then again, the results might be a little different coming from a less biased source, no?

 

Finally…

Probably not a good idea to ask your Twitter followers to shoot another bike journalist, even if you’re not serious. Or especially if you are. If you profess to be a psychic, don’t channel a recently fallen rider, all the details of which could probably be found by picking up the local paper.

And one more benefit of bicycling — you probably won’t have a secret police file from scanning your license plates.

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Thanks to John Hall for his generous donation to help support this site.  

Category: Bike Cam Video, Bikes & the Law, Car vs Bike, Legal Cases, Morning Links, Road Rage / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Sign up online for BAC agendas and minutes, and LAPD cracks down on USC cyclists

October 8, 2014 / / One comment

Maybe LA city government really is becoming more open and accessible under Mayor Garcetti.

For the first time, you can sign up for reports and agendas from a long list of city agencies and committees — including the city’s long-neglected Bicycle Advisory Committee.

You’ll find them listed under the LADOT heading, where you can opt to receive BAC agendas and minutes, as well as other LADOT groups including the Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

And just below, you’ll find reports from the police and fire commissions. Both of which have a lot to say about your ability to ride legally and safely.

Thanks to BAC members David Wolfberg and Glenn Bailey for the heads-up.

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The LAPD cracks down on salmon cyclists at USC, calling it a last resort in response to a rising number of bike collisions on and around the campus.

Actually, the last resort appears to be campus officials acknowledging the high level of bike commuting students, and working with city officials to accommodate bike riders so they don’t feel a need to break the law.

There’s a reason UCLA is recognized as a bike-friendly campus. And USC isn’t.

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Local

Laemmle Theater president and LACBC board member Greg Laemmle says we need good policies and urban planning, and smart business practices to encourage bicycling and walking in LA County.

A 16-year old LA student transforms his life — and his formerly 250 pound body — by biking to school.

Flying Pigeon’s Richard Risemberg attends a glum Bicycle Plan Implementation meeting, which brightens considerably when he discovers new LADOT head Seleta Reynolds had been listening patiently for the whole meeting. Turns out she stopped by Tuesday’s BAC meeting, too.

Ride to celebrate the new San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, expected to be announced by President Obama on Friday; CORBA offers only conditional support for the designation.

Cyclists are invited to participate in a public workshop on October 22nd to develop a joint bike plan for Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu and Westlake Village.

A new two-mile stretch of bike path opens along Coyote Creek in La Mirada.

 

State

Inland riders are gearing up for Sunday’s Temecula Valley Century, with five rides ranging from 6.4 to 101.5 miles. None of which is a bike race, regardless of what the Press Enterprise might say.

Local merchants are on board this time for Salinas’ second ciclavia.

The SF Gate talks with the Sonoma County Gran Fondo cyclist felled by a squirrel through the spokes; he was lucky to get away with a concussion and minor facial fracture. And you don’t want to miss that amazing photo of the squirrel jammed in his wheel; then again, maybe you do. Thanks to Kent D for the second link.

 

National

HTC unveils a periscope shaped cam to compete with GoPro.

A Seattle website explains what happens after your bike is stolen. And it ain’t pretty.

Now that’s more like it. A Texas driver gets 18 years — yes, years — in jail for killing a cyclist while under the influence. He was caught attempting to hide the victim’s body after driving away with his headlights off when the bike rider tumbled into the bed of his truck following the collision.

A Kentucky teenager apologizes for throwing a cup of ice at a cyclist and goes for a ride with his victim; does it matter that a judge ordered him to do it?

There’s a special place in hell for someone who’d shoot a seven-year old Detroit girl out riding her bike; she was collateral damage in a car-to-car shootout.

Bad enough when people drive in the bike lane; worse when they get high and drive down a Michigan bike path.

Bikeyface complains about bike lane bike creeps.

We may have to worry about rabid LA drivers, but New Jersey cyclists have to deal with rabid coyotes; I’m not sure which is worse.

Many cyclists have ridden along the Hudson River, but not many have actually pedaled across it.

The Orlando paper endorses a plan for a continuous 275-mile bike trail from the Atlantic to the Gulf coasts.

 

International

London, Ontario cyclists reject the city’s new bike plan as too little, too late.

A Brit police and crime commissioner says cyclists should be forced to wear numbered plates big enough to be read at a distance so they can be identified and prosecuted when they break the law. After all, that’s worked so well to curb law-breaking by motorists, right?

Despite what the local authorities say, the jerks who stretched a cord across a British roadway at neck height aren’t morons, they’re terrorists attempting to injure or intimidate bicyclists and motorcyclists.

Good thing cycling has cleaned up it’s act. Otherwise, the Astana team could be in trouble after not one, but two riders test positive for EPO.

Tres shock! An Aussie study suggests cyclists break the law because they don’t feel safe on the streets.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: Extreme off-road Lego bike stunts. Yes, Lego. Evidently, they really are out to get us, as a car — a real one — crashes into a Brit bike shop, at least the 10th time it’s happened to the same store.

And a rare condition can give cyclists a third, non-functional testicle — including riders who weren’t born with two.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bikes & the Law, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Update: Alleged red light running cyclist killed in San Diego; first bicycling death in city this year

October 8, 2014 / / 8 comments

This is not the news any of us wanted to wake up to.

Multiple sources report a 57-year old bike rider was killed when he was trying to cross Camino del Rio West at Hancock Street in San Diego around 11:15 pm last night. The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was headed west on Hancock when he was struck and killed by a Jeep SUV traveling south on Camino del Rio.

According to San Diego’s ABC 10 News, a witness reportedly saw the west-bound victim run the red light before he was hit by the Jeep that had just exited the freeway. Police say the driver does not appear to have broken any laws.

“He was crossing the street while the light was green,” witness Kevon Smith said. “It wasn’t his light, it was the opposite light. And he just went on his bike, didn’t stop… A Jeep, it was already coming off the freeway, it tried to slow down, (and) hit him.”

Advocacy group Bike SD describes Camino del Rio West as a virtual freeway with six lanes of traffic where speeds frequently exceed 50 mph. And notes that cyclists often have a hard time triggering the traffic light on Hancock, which could explain why the rider went through it; it’s not clear whether he stopped before proceeding or just kept going without stopping.

This is the 69th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 9th in San Diego County; surprisingly, it’s the first bike-related death in the city of San Diego since the first of this year.

Update: The San Diego Union-Tribune identifies the victim as 57-year old San Diego resident Edmund Nicholas Davis. According to the paper, Davis was riding in the crosswalk, against the light, when he was hit.

The paper also says he was a registered sex offender who had been convicted of child molestation, as well as rape. 

My sympathy and prayers for Edmund Nicholas Davis and his loved ones, as well as his victims.

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

Morning Links: Automakers build in deadly distractions; CD15’s Buscaino multi-modals his way to work

October 8, 2014 / / 3 comments

It should come to no one’s surprise that a new study shows in-dash phone and computer systems are dangerously distracting to drivers (pdf).

And apparently, Apple’s Siri is the worst.

Automakers are rushing to keep drivers connected behind the wheel, from providing the turn-by-turn directions we’ve come to expect, to reading and dictating emails and text messages.

Never mind that, as the study above makes clear — and common sense suggests should been have readily apparent — the more distractions drivers face, the less aware they are of what is happening on the road around them. To the detriment of everyone with whom they share the road.

It’s bad enough we have to dodge texting drivers, without getting run down by a driver surfing for Chinese restaurants on the heads-up display.

The feds need to step in to prevent automakers from designing deadly distractions into the dashboards and center consoles of their cars.

Because vehicle manufacturers are clearly unable to resist the temptation themselves.

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Local

Streetsblog looks at plans for a new bike and pedestrian friendly Sixth Street Viaduct.

Caught on video: CD15 City Councilmember Joe Buscaino goes to work by bike, bus and train to discover what it’s like to be carless in LA. He’s turned out to be one of the most open-minded and supportive councilmembers when it comes to transportation alternatives, two-wheeled and otherwise.

An article reposted on City Watch examines new LADOT head Seleta Reynolds, who says LA is moving beyond auto-centrism. And that bikes are a big part of the solution.

 

State

Once again, a writer who just doesn’t get it calls for licensing cyclists and their bikes, and requiring riders to carry liability insurance. Never mind that most adult cyclists already have a drivers license and carry insurance through their auto policies, and that a license plate large enough to be easily read at a distance would be too large to fit on a bike.

Is it still hit-and-run if a drunk driver takes his victim with him? A San Francisco driver hits a pedestrian in a crosswalk and flees with his victim hanging out of the car’s sunroof, then attempts to cover up his drunken state by tossing booze out of the vehicle.

A woman is suing Sacramento for $3.5 million for allowing sidewalk riding after she’s hit by a cyclist while walking; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up.

 

National

A bike advocate says we should refocus on recreation, rather than biking to work, to get more people on bikes. How about if we just focus on making bike riding safer and more convenient for everyone, then let people decide for themselves how and where to ride?

The brother of fallen cyclocross champ Amy Dombroski is channeling his grief into creating more equity for female cyclists and empowering young women through cycling.

Seattle Bike Blog talks in depth with one of the countless survivors whose life has been dramatically changed by a collision with a driver who claimed she never saw him.

A Wyoming letter writer says yes, animal cruelty matters, but so do the lives of bicyclists.

A Chicago writer says bicyclists have rights too, even if some break the law. And no one notices the ones who don’t.

An Examiner writer says the unwarranted prosecution of Kentucky cyclist Cherokee Schill for riding — legally — in the traffic lane is bringing unwanted attention to a state with a backward reputation.

New York’s city council votes to lower the city’s default speed limit to 25 mph, something LA will need to address if it’s serious about the newfound commitment to Vision Zero.

 

International

Caught on video: The page may be in Spanish, but the message is clear, as a cyclist confronts a motorist for driving in the bike lane.

A Brit cyclist videos distracted drivers and turns them into the police. Meanwhile, a writer for the Telegraph says cycling vigilantes aren’t doing themselves any favors by capturing such videos of dangerous drivers, insisting that we’re more likely to break the law than motorists are.

UK police arrest a racist bike rider who assaulted a woman, verbally and otherwise. Jerk.

Authorities in the UK are also looking for rider who punched a woman in front of her children when she didn’t get out of his way. Ditto.

A Brit writer is heartbroken after giving up her favorite ride.

Looks like Formula One driver Fernando Alonso won’t be fielding a cycling team on the pro tour after all.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: If you drop your iPhone in traffic, let it go; or maybe, don’t ride like a maniac if you can’t see what’s in front of you. Streetsblog offers up a Neighborhood Council bike lane bingo card. And if you’re going to return a bike to the store, make sure you paid for it.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: CicLAvia coverage, cyclist injured in bike-on-bike wreck, benefits of protected bike lanes

October 7, 2014 / / 8 comments

The news coverage of Sunday’s CicLAvia continues to trickle in.

The LA Times offers video and a handful of photos. Curbed LA does the same while the Source serves up still more photos as well as tweets.

Orange 20 calls the new Echo Park to East LA route another great success. The CSUN Sundial says cyclists ruled the road for a day. And Takepart calls it the biggest public open space event in America.

Meanwhile, Streetsblog questions the relative lack of news stories about Sunday’s 10th CicLAvia since the first one rolled through Downtown on 10/10/10.

But maybe that’s a good thing.

CicLAvia may be huge in our world, but it’s not new anymore. It’s proven itself to be a huge success, and now has the funding and support to continue and grow beyond the confining limits of Los Angeles itself.

In a way, the lack of the breathless news stories we’ve seen in the past is a tacit acknowledgement that the event has become part of the fabric of the city.

……..

A Manhattan Beach bike rider suffered serious injuries when she was hit head-on by another cyclist where the Marvin Braude and Ballona Creek bike paths meet in Marina del Rey. To make matters worse, Ana Beatriz Cholo had no insurance since she was just starting a new job, so a fund has been created to help her pay her five-figure medical bills.

Let this be a reminder to never pass slower riders unless it’s safe to do so.

Which means never, ever passing if there’s a rider coming in the opposite direction. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had to swerve suddenly — if not bail off the bike path entirely — to avoid someone who seemed to think he had a supreme right to the pathway.

Or maybe just lacked sufficient common sense to realize that the same safety rules that govern passing slower vehicles when driving apply on the bikeway, as well.

And if you’re ever involved in a collision with another cyclist, always give your name and contact information. Your car insurance should cover liability on your bike, as well.

It’s no less hit-and-run when a bike rider or pedestrian leaves the scene without identifying themselves after causing a collision than it is when a driver does it.

……..

A new study reconfirms the benefits of protected bike lanes. According to the study, ridership increased anywhere from 21% to 171% after protected lanes were installed, with 24% of the increase coming from other routes and a full 10% actually switching from other modes of transportation.

……..

The route for next year’s Giro d’Italia is unveiled, with an eye towards a possible rare sweep of the Giro and Tour de France.

……..

Local

Bike riders are urged to attend tonight’s meeting of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council Transportation Committee to help elect new bike friendly members.

Milestone Rides’ Johnny Lam explains why he volunteers with bike organizations, and why you should, too.

PV Bike hosts a perfectly alliterative Pomona Pumpkin Patch Pedal on October 19th.

A bike rider was seriously injured in a collision on PCH in Long Beach Sunday night.

 

State

A Santa Barbara cyclist says the Milt Olin case shows the dangers of distracted driving.

A San Luis Obispo woman charged in the hit-and-run death of a cyclist had three prior convictions for driving under the influence. Somehow, though, she was still allowed to remain on the road until she finally killed someone; too bad the judges and other authorities who helped keep her behind the wheel can’t be forced to serve some of her sentence with her.

 

National

City Lab makes the case for banning traffic lanes wider than 10 feet.

Bicycling’s Elly Blue says motherhood is one of the biggest obstacles preventing women from biking.

Different types of bike riding requires different muscle use. But you knew that, right?

Kansas City is just the latest municipality to prohibit the harassment of bicyclists and pedestrians.

A Chicago writer calls for banning bikes for a single day to give pedestrians a break. Not an entirely bad idea; maybe it would help the relatively few overly aggressive cyclists realize the risk they pose to others. But probably not.

How rare is this? A Pittsburgh cartoonist offers a mea culpa for an anti-bike diatribe after riders convince him he was wrong.

A Richmond VA writer says yes, cyclists break the law, but so does everyone else; and if bikes bug you, maybe you’re the problem.

 

International

Members of a cancer charity ride 800 km — roughly 500 miles — to deliver a custom made ebike to Pope Francis.

Be a more successful cyclist in just seven simple steps.

Yet another ridiculous pie-in-the-sky plan is floated — literally — for a London bikeway.

A New Zealand editorial writer says a visit to DC shows separating bikes and cars is the best way to go, while an email writer says the Kiwi equivalent of a three-foot passing law is ridiculous because cyclists do bad things.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: A first-person bike cam view of an Aussie cyclist attacked by a magpie. A daredevil squirrel tries to pass through the spokes of a Sonoma County Gran Fondo rider; not surprisingly, the rider doesn’t fare well, though the squirrel fares worse.

And after a six-year old bumps his head at CicLAvia, a big-hearted cop buys helmets for him and his three brothers. Let’s hope he gets a commendation for that.

 

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