Archive for bikinginla

Weekend Links: Advocates and opponents battle over North Figueroa bike lanes, and your weekend events

May 9, 2014 / / One comment

From all reports, Thursday night’s public hearing on the proposed North Figueroa bike lanes was just this side of a steel cage death match.

I wasn’t there, so what I’ve heard comes second hand.

However, from what I’ve read and been told, it rapidly devolved into a shouting match between the mostly younger supporters of the road diet and the mostly older opponents — in other words, those most likely to use the bike lanes and those who probably haven’t been on a bike in decades, and aren’t likely to anytime soon.

If ever.

Yet those who opposed reconstructing the street seemed more that willing to tell the rest where and how they should ride. And where they could go, for that matter.

I’m also told that those supporting the bike lanes far outnumbered the opposition. But most weren’t allowed to speak, as the meeting moderator limited the number of speakers to an equal amount from both sides in an apparent attempt at balance.

Or maybe it was just to make the opposition seem stronger than it really was.

One person who was there sent me her thoughts on the meeting.

The anti-bike lane speakers trotted out many of the same previous lies (road tax!, emergency vehicle delays!, think of the children!) but added some surprisingly creative new nonsense this time around.

One woman cited North Fig as one of the City’s evacuation routes (in case of nuclear war or something?), but in the event of a mass evacuation, painted lanes of any kind will be completely disregarded, and there’ll be a quick evac only for the lucky few motorists at the far edges of the evacuation areas who hit the road without delay. Have we learned nothing from the movie Independence Day? As a CERT graduate, I have a backpack full of essentials ready to grab. I’ll be on my bike and five miles out while other evacuees are still running around their homes like freshly headless chickens, grabbing expired batteries and precious family photo albums. When I do hit the inevitable traffic jam, I’ll sluice straight through it, like on southbound Broadway on Dodger nights. Incidentally, Ms. Emergency Prep failed to address the impediment that vehicles parked curbside will present to a fleeing population.

One guy actually stated that the proposed road diet is not in compliance with current state or federal regulations. Members of the audience requested citations for this and were barked at to respect the speaker’s turn. I was so dumbfounded at this nonsense that I forgot to observe the expression on (LADOT Bicycle Coordinator Michelle) Mowry’s face, and she was standing right behind him. Upon seeing the guy in the foyer afterwards, I was tempted to follow him into the men’s room to inquire about the source of his misinformation, but of course I refrained.

One resident complained of the effects of York’s bike lanes, asserting that the cut-through traffic is now so hideous that children can no longer play in the street. Hasn’t it been over half a century since they were legally allowed to? He stated also that the noise & danger has negatively impacted home values. Surely this gentleman wouldn’t present fabricated information to the public, so I would like to read his thorough analysis of data from the Assessor’s office.

Several incredibly delusional speakers suggested the Arroyo Seco bike path as an alternate route. Um, I’ll just assume you’re familiar enough with its current status that no elaboration is required.

One of the Seco proponents, who has maybe a decade on me, declared that because she’s older and slower, she doesn’t feel safe riding on Fig, so therefore the Arroyo bike path is a viable alternate. Because of her advanced age? What?? I’m fat and fortysomething, and I’m still taking the lane. North Fig, South Fig, PCH, whenever it’s safest. At night especially, I feel exponentially safer on Fig, as opposed to a dark, secluded bike path out of screaming distance of potential rescuers. And if age-related neurological issues destroy my ability to recognize and/or use the most practical routes, I hope my loved ones keep me off the damn roadways. Mind you, it’s possible I misinterpreted this speaker’s concerns; maybe she was merely suggesting we safely build our stamina by riding all those extra, inconvenient, hilly miles up to our errands at Figueroa’s businesses.

One snide woman prefaced her remarks with the accusation that many in the audience are not locals; perhaps she missed the speakers before her, or just doesn’t consider, say, an Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council member local enough. She then stated that she has one child in a NELA school, and another who attends school two cities over. I hope the locals in that city don’t bully her child or insinuate that the kid is unworthy of safe infrastructure because of non-local status. Naturally, this mother made no mention of the fact that her children are most likely to die as passengers in a motor vehicle collision than by any other cause, although she did an excellent job of making it crystal clear that moving her vehicle at faster speeds during rush hour is far more important than their safety.

Curiously, nobody mentioned Marmion Way as an alternate (I was late, though, so I may have missed this), and pretty much everybody, whatever their opinion of the proposed road diet, seemed repulsed by the idea of a sharrowed lane.

Cedillo (CD1 City Councilmember Gil Cedillo) wasn’t even in the audience for most of the public comment session. Afterwards he spouted a trite “agree to disagree” pronouncement and thanked everybody for coming; presumably “everybody” also includes the speakers he didn’t bother to listen to.

I’m also disgusted with the segregation of speakers: the opponents of the status quo spoke first, followed by the opponents of the proposed road diet. However, I don’t know whether this was deliberate.

I’ll also point out that bike parking was a pain. Most bikes were locked to the chain link fence enclosing the portal of the tunnel created for students decades ago, when our myopic city planners prioritized the almighty LOS over safe routes for non-motorized road users. Others arriving while I was trying to find a suitable spot were instructed to park on the west side of the long dumpster bay on the side of the auditorium. After three failed attempts to lock up (with my extra-long u-lock, btw), I very seriously considered just locking to Josef’s cargo bike, but ended up locking insufficiently to the parking lot’s chain link fence post. I might see about being bike valet at next month’s meeting.

Read more in detailed reports from Streetsblog LA and the Eastsider LA.

………

Didn’t get a chance to update this week’s Calendar of bike events last night. I’ll try to get to that before the weekend is over, since we’ve got a lot going on over the next few weeks — starting with Bike Week next week and the can’t miss Blessing of the Bicycles honoring Ghost Bikes LA on Tuesday.

In the meantime, here are a few events to keep you on your bike and smiling this weekend.

Temple City officially unveils their new separated cycle tracks on Saturday, including the Old Roots, New Routes Temple City Bike Ride led by CICLE and Eastside Bike Club.

Also on Saturday, the Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition hosts the 2nd Pomona Valley Craft Brewery Tour.

The Cyclofemme LA Mothers Day ride offers a slow-paced, family-friendly social bike ride through DTLA on Sunday, followed by brunch at Angel City Brewery.

The San Fernando Bicycle Club hosts their semi-monthly beginner-friendly Compagni No Drop Ride this Sunday.

And our very own pro cycling world tour event kicks off on Sunday when the Amgen Tour of California rolls through the streets of Sacramento. It gets down to SoCal starting with Stage 6 from Santa Clarita to Mountain High on Friday, Santa Clarita to Pasadena on Saturday and Thousand Oaks a week from Sunday.

………

Local

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition announces their Bike to Work Day pit stops, as well as post B2WD happy hours.

A petition sponsored by the LACBC calls on legislators to revoke driving privileges for hit-and-run drivers and increase penalties to remove the incentive for drunk drivers to flee.

Better Bike updates the status of proposed bike lanes on Santa Monica Blvd through the Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills, and it ain’t looking good. The matter returns to the City Council on May 20th.

Speaking of online petitions, the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition has created one calling on the city to protect vulnerable road users by adopting a cyclist anti-harassment ordinance; thanks to Wesley Reutimann for the heads-up.

 

State

And so the backlash begins, as a Newport Beach council member complains loudly about a recommendation to ban cars, not bikes, from the city’s Back Bay Drive on a trial basis.

Temecula gets its first sharrows in Old Town.

San Diego gets its first road diet with a spacious new bike lane buffered on both sides, even though Copenhagenize doesn’t like it.

Evidently the San Francisco police have determined that bike riders and pedestrians are the real danger on the streets.

The Amgen Tour of California marks a comeback from knee injuries for 22-year old American rider Joe Dombrowski after discovering one leg is longer than the other.

 

National

A writer calls for establishing an Idaho stop law, something I’ve long advocated. And does a far better job of explaining why.

The Atlantic looks at where Americans bike and walk, while the Atlantic Cities examines the rise of bicycling in small to mid-size cities, including my hometown.

Red Kite Prayer says the key to growing bicycling is more affordable bikes for families.

A new Strap ID offers medical and identification information similar to Road ID, but attaches to your helmet strap.

Gizmodo offers 29 great ads from the first golden age of bicycling.

On the heels of attorney Jim Pocrass’ recent post on the same subject, a Chicago bike lawyer offers more evidence that insurance companies aren’t your friend.

 

International

A new documentary about the late, great pro cyclist Marco Pantani opens in the UK next week; I’ll be in line for that one when it gets here. Unless it already has and I missed it already.

A group called the Velominati — get it? — offers 95 rules for bicycling enlightenment, including no wearing of cycling caps off the bike.

Former Spice Girl Mel C trains for a triathlon even though she’s afraid of falling off her bike, although she probably faced more risk by tumbling from her stilettos.

It may have seemed like a prank to the Irish idiots behind it, but this is the damage a common chocolate bar can do when it’s thrown at a bike rider from a moving vehicle.

The Guardian asks how many cyclists have to die before Aussie attitudes change.

 

Finally…

San Francisco police are worried about confusion over new bike lanes, but the problem isn’t the lanes, it’s drivers who don’t know how to turn properly. And mountain bike trails in state parks are a good thing. But building your own without official approval, not so much.

 

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

Morning Links: LA Weekly supports distracted driving; drunk driver kills bike riding reformed drunk driver

May 9, 2014 / / One comment

What the hell are they thinking at the LA Weekly?

In a remarkably wrong-headed piece, Weekly writer Hillel Aron writes that he texts while driving and doesn’t see a damn thing wrong with it.

First, effective July 1, 2008, came the bans on talking on your cell phone while driving – an act about as dangerous as drinking a cup of coffee whilst talking to a passenger.

Six months later came the drive-texting bans. Never mind the fact that we’d been changing the music on our iPods for years, and before that we were switching out CDs, and tapes and eight-tracks and lighting our cigarettes and God knows what else.

Now sending a text message, no matter how brief, or how slow the traffic, is a crime.

As well it should be.

Never mind that texting at highway speeds can take your eyes off the road for the length of a football field. Or that studies have shown texting is more dangerous than drunk driving, which Aron evidently would approve of, as well.

And never mind that nearly one in five injury collisions involve distracted driving. Or that even using a hands-free device to make a call dramatically increases the risk of collision; evidently, Aron is a very risky coffee drinker.

But he says he can do it, so it must be okay.

I’m sure his insurance company would disagree. As would his seemingly inevitable future victims.

The remarkable thing is he has confessed, in public and in advance, for any collisions he may be involved in for the rest of his life. Because any prosecutor or civil attorney will jump on this as proof of a cavalier attitude behind the wheel, at best. And search for evidence that he was doing exactly what he claims.

As cyclists, we see the effects of distracted driving on a daily basis.

Virtually every close call I’ve had on the roads in recent years, and most of the vehicular idiocy I’ve witnessed, has come from drivers whose eyes were glued to their cell phones instead of the road. Or at the very least, had a hand-held cell phone illegally plastered to their ears.

It’s bad enough that Aron is a tragedy waiting to happen; worse that he irresponsibly encourages other fools to follow his lead.

Because only a fool, and a dangerous one at that, would fail to grasp the dangers of distracted driving clearly demonstrates.

But worst of all is the irresponsibility of a formerly respected alternative weekly that has long since given up any hint of relevancy putting the lives of innocent people at risk as link bait to boost their sagging fortunes.

I don’t want my life — or that of anyone else — to be in jeopardy because the paper’s editors lack any ethical standards and encourage their readers to drive in a dangerous and distracted manner.

They owe us all a retraction and an apology.

And if you happen to see Hillel Aron on the road, grab his fucking cell phone out of his hands and throw the damn thing as far as you can.

Oh, and as for his assertion that we all text while driving, I have never, ever texted, tweeted or otherwise used a handheld device while driving. And never will.

Perhaps because I’ve written too many times about the needless heartbreak and devastation caused by those who do.

………

In a case of tragic irony, Haitham Gamal, the 38-year old bike rider killed in Dana Point last week, was a three-time convicted drunk driver who had completed rehab, sold his car and taken up bicycling in an attempt to turn his life around.

Only to be killed by a 19-year old drunk driver.

………

Local

The LACBC announces their Bike to Work Day pit stops, as well as post B2WD happy hours.

County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky profiles Danny Gamboa and Ghost Bikes LA, noting the group will receive the Golden Spoke award at Tuesday’s Blessing of the Bicycles.

San Marino releases their proposed bikeways map, including a possible Class 1 bike path; thanks to BikeSGV for the heads-up.

The Tour of Long Beach rolls this Sunday to benefit pediatric cancer research at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach.

 

State

The Orange County Register ranks the county’s eight most dangerous intersections; the killer conjunction of Jamboree Road and Santiago Canyon Road tops the list.

A letter writer says we all can coexist on Newport Beach’s Back Bay Trail.

Not surprisingly, San Diego’s bike share stations are going in the usual tourist areas rather than places with the greatest need.

 

National

American bike commuting has increased 60% in the last 14 years; not surprisingly, low-income Americans walk and bike the most.

Bike lawyer Bob Mionske discusses how to fight back with a civil suit against motorists who hit or harass you.

Ms. Magazine looks at how bicycles influenced women’s rights.

Tucson gets its first protected bike lanes.

A New York bike share rack is called a death trap that could block access to an emergency room — even though it’s around the corner and on a different block.

A Florida man is caught on video drinking heavily before he got in his truck and killed a couple on their tandem bike.

 

International

Remembering 1970s Irish cycling champ Billy Kerr.

On the eve of the Giro d’Italia, the BBC profiles three-time winner Gino Bartali, who risked his life to save Jews and aid the resistance in WWII. And who should be the first cyclist on a very short list for sainthood.

Interesting Norwegian share the road public service campaign; you don’t have to speak the language to get the idea.

A big-hearted Kiwi cyclist forgives the driver who hit him and asks the court to waive her $11,000 reparation fee.

Bicycle advocacy goes worldwide.

 

Finally…

Repeat after me. When you’re carrying drug paraphernalia and an ounce of cocaine on your bike at 1:30 in the morning, put a damn light on it, already. And a new foldable bike helmet allows you to carry it anywhere; personally, I’d rather have a clunky one if it’s built to a better safety standard.

 

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

An open letter to CD1 Councilmember Gil Cedillo on improving safety and livability on North Figueroa

May 8, 2014 / / Comments Off on An open letter to CD1 Councilmember Gil Cedillo on improving safety and livability on North Figueroa
Courtesy of LACBC

Courtesy of LACBC

Dear Councilmember Cedillo,

Seldom does such a defining moment come so early in a council member’s time in office.

But that’s exactly what you face in deciding whether to install bike lanes on North Figueroa; a choice that will define your legacy long after you leave office.

For better. Or for worse.

And right now, things aren’t looking good for you. Or the people who live, work or travel through your district.

But let’s be honest. It’s not about bike lanes.

As you should be aware by now, North Figueroa has long been a dangerous street for bicyclists and pedestrians, as well as motorists. In fact, the street has averaged nearly one traffic fatality a year, and over 82 injuries, over a 10-year period.

It’s a roadway where dangerous design and overcapacity encourage speeding and overly aggressive driving, risking innocent lives and discouraging the non-motorized transportation that could ease traffic and benefit local businesses.

In a process that began five years ago, the street was studied and discussed in an extensive series of public meetings. And the overwhelming consensus among local residents — your constituents — was that the roadway needed to be reconfigured to calm traffic and improve safety.

Bike lanes were just a part of a larger plan that would benefit everyone by increasing pedestrian access, reducing dangerous driving and improving livability throughout the North Figueroa corridor.

Combined with the recently approved MyFigueroa project on South Figueroa, it would establish one of the city’s most complete streets from end-to-end, where average people could feel comfortable strolling casually or enjoying a leisurely bike ride to local shops and restaurants. As well as encouraging people to get out of their cars to commute to work and school, taking pressure off our city’s overcrowded and fume-choked streets.

The project was approved, funded and shovel-ready when your predecessor left office.

All you had to do was sign off on it.

Instead, you’ve engaged in a year-long campaign of obfuscation and foot-dragging, repeatedly refusing to engage with local residents questioning why you were delaying such a beneficial and desperately needed project.

221162813-Bike-Lane-Community-Meeting-5-8-14-Flyer-English-FinalAnd now you are proposing an alternative approach, a complicated series of sharrows similar to ideas that have already been considered — and rejected — before you ever took office.

Yet sharrows will do absolutely nothing to slow traffic and improve safety on and around Figueroa. They will not improve walkability or encourage shoppers to stroll the street. And they will do nothing to entice anyone but the most confident bicyclists to risk their own safety by riding directly in front of impatient drivers.

In other words, your proposal fails to address any of the concerns that prompted the city and the residents of Northeast LA to reimagine the North Figueroa corridor in the first place. It represents a failure of imagination and leadership for which you and your staff should be ashamed.

And it begs the question of why you have backed off on a proposal with such overwhelming support — including, at one time, your own.

Some say it’s due to a desire to place your own stamp on the street, rather than allow your predecessor build on his own legacy. Others have suggested that it’s political payback to an anti-bike lane opponent who helped throw the election your way.

True or not, neither reflects well on you.

The mere fact that people in your district would question your motives for such inexplicable foot-dragging speaks to the confusion and betrayal they feel.

You have a rare opportunity to demonstrate genuine vision and leadership in creating a truly Great Street that will benefit everyone who lives, works or travels anywhere on or near it. And bring greater growth and prosperity to an area that desperately needs it.

Or your can decide to keep things more or less as they are, maintaining a dangerous auto-focused street that risks the lives and safety of everyone who travels or crosses it, as well as an almost inevitable decline for what is and should be a vibrant community.

Despite extensive criticism — including mine — Curren Price, your colleague on the City Council, showed genuine leadership in forging an agreement to keep the MyFigueroa project on track.

Will you do the same, and support a more livable North Figueroa that will stand as your legacy long after you’ve left office?

Or will you stand in the face of progress — and your constituents — to maintain a future of danger and decline?

The decision is in your hands. We can only hope you make the right choice.

Sincerely,

Ted Rogers
BikinginLA.com
 

Note: There will be a community meeting tonight at Nightingale Elementary School to discuss the proposal to replace the planned road diet and bike lanes with sharrows, from 6 to 8 pm, 3311 North Figueroa. The anti-bike lane factions are expected to be out in force, so supporters are urged to attend to demonstrate the support this project has among bike riders, pedestrians and the greater community.

And if you haven’t already, sign the petition to show your support.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: Still no end to Milton Olin investigation, US House committee goes after bike/ped funding

May 7, 2014 / / 4 comments

So what the hell is taking so long?

Nearly six months after cyclist and former Napster CEO Milt Olin was killed by a sheriff’s deputy while riding in a Mulholland bike lane, investigators still haven’t sent the case to the DA, claiming they’re just being thorough.

The sheriff’s department raised a lot of eyebrows by deciding to investigate their own officer in Olin’s death, rather than turn the investigation over to an independent agency such as the CHP; I’m told the CHP — which usually handles traffic fatalities in the area — was more than willing to step in but was never asked.

The endless delay just raises more questions about whether the department is leaving no stone unturned in a search for the truth, or simply trying to find a way to exonerate one of their own.

Or perhaps the department itself, since many have suggested that it’s department policy for deputies to use the patrol car’s onboard computer while driving, which would be illegal for anyone not in uniform. And dangerously distracting for anyone, regardless.

Then again, maybe they’re just hoping that once they finally release the results, no one will care anymore.

Not gonna happen.

………

Once again, small minded representatives in the US House Appropriations Committee vote to gut bike and pedestrian funding. The proposed appropriations bill would turn the popular TIGER grant program into just another roads bill.

More proof, as it it’s needed, that too many of our elected leaders know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

………

Local

In advance of tonight’s community meeting to discuss bike lanes vs sharrows on dangerous North Figueroa, Richard Risemberg says your life, health and prosperity are at stake. And astutely calls sharrows the junk-food of bicycle facilities.

On the other end of Figueroa, the Times says the MyFigueroa project could result in a bikeable, walkable LA. And we shouldn’t settle for OK Streets instead of Great Streets.

Streetsblog offers five changes to improve the proposed LA mobility plan.

After wrapping what may have been its final season, the entire crew of Lifetime’s LA-based Drop Dead Diva — from grips to the stars of the series — are given new bikes.

A federal judge says you no longer have to pay a fee to bike or hike in undeveloped regions of the Cleveland, Los Padres, Angeles and San Bernardino national forests.

 

State

The Newport Beach Committee investigating restricting usage of the city’s Back Bay Drive has issued their report. I haven’t have a chance to read it yet, but you can download your own copy here.

A lightless, sidewalk-riding 73-year old Thousand Oaks cyclist is injured in a left cross collision with a 75-year old driver.

A casual cyclist embraces Bike to Work Day, as San Francisco prepares to celebrate theirs a week before we do.

The Bay Area’s Bicycle Coffee delivers fresh roasted coffee by bike; a new “chapter” plans to open in Silver Lake in three weeks.

 

National

Strava plans to sell its data to urban planners and advocacy groups; problem is, their data only shows where Strava users ride, not other types of riders.

Pharrell rides a bike in an undisclosed location. And yes, he looks sort of happy, maybe.

Boulder CO cycle track uses standard, inexpensive parking stops to form a protective barrier.

A New York lawmaker proposes increasing penalties to treat cyclists who flee the scene of a collision the same as hit-and-run motorists.

Cyclists may not have discovered DC’s new two-way cycle tracks, but drivers have. Meanwhile, a DC-area cyclist is ticketed in the hospital after she’s hit by a car when a witness claims she came out of nowhere, didn’t have lights, wasn’t in the crosswalk and was in the middle of the road. Sounds like maybe that witness was the driver who ran her down.

In a case of man bites dog, a Hattiesburg, Mississippi cyclist is the victim of a hit-and-run — and witnesses identify the suspect vehicle as a marked police car.

And these new compression shorts come complete with a fillable codpiece. Make of that what you will.

 

International

Most Toronto residents — and Canadians in general — want to require licenses for bike riders.

Former Amgen Tour of California winner Robert Gesink has surgery to correct the cardiac arrhythmia that has kept him off his bike in recent months. No word on when or if he’ll race again.

An Aussie writer says don’t feel sorry for careless cyclists, feel sorry for the poor innocent drivers who hit them — even though a study last year showed drivers were at fault in 79% of cycling collisions Down Under. Link courtesy of Opus the Poet, who’s Witch on a Bicycle blog you really should be reading if you don’t already.

 

Finally…

Following our discussion of scofflaw cyclists the other day, Priceonomics says it’s drivers’ fault that cyclists run stop signs. No, really.

And after an auto-centric writer for MotorSport magazine said the problem with cyclists is they get in your damn way and interfere with your right to zoom dangerously around winding roads, wiser heads prevailed and the story was removed from the website. But nothing ever really disappears from the Internet.

 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities, Law Enforcement, Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Review: New CamelBak Relay provides pure, great tasting water for every ride

May 7, 2014 / / Comments Off on Review: New CamelBak Relay provides pure, great tasting water for every ride
Great tasting water clear enough to read through.

Great tasting water clear enough to read through.

Let’s talk water.

Whether you ride with a water bottle or backpack-style hydration system, every bike rider needs some source of hydration for all but the shortest rides. Especially on those hot summer days just round the corner.

Let alone those hot spring days like last week.

But how much thought do you give to what goes in them?

No offense to my fellow Angelenos, but I’ve never been a fan of the water that comes out of our local taps.

Whether it’s a product of what leaves the filtration plant, or what it picks up from pipes along the way, LA water has always tasted a little off to me. And too often, there’s a noticeable chlorine smell that makes me feel like I’m drinking from the local swimming pool.

So ever since I returned to the city of my birth over a two decades ago, I’ve relied on bottled water. An average of eight gallons a week between my wife and I, at a cost of $1 to $1.50 a gallon.

The Corgi, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to care where her water comes from, as long as she doesn’t have to share it with anyone else.

And yes, we recycle the bottles, while realizing that doesn’t begin to negate the environmental impact of packing and trucking all those bottles.

We’ve tried various filtration systems over the years, but always found it more convenient and better tasting to get our water off the market shelf once again.

So when a representative for CamelBak asked me to try out an new countertop filtration pitcher, I agreed to give it a try, expecting to use it for a couple of day, write a quick review, and toss it in the closet to gather dust.

But six weeks later, we’re still using it.

The 10-cup CamelBak Relay is a simple, compact pitcher that fits easily in the refrigerator, taking up less space than a comparable water jug.

And when I say simple. I mean exactly that. Even taking time to read the instructions for a change, I had it assembled, filled and filtered in just a couple minutes.

Innovation filter works as you fill and as you pour, in real time.

Innovation filter cleans the water twice, as you fill and as you pour, in real time.

The company claims it filters 10 times faster than any competing product. But in my experience, the Relay filters and pours in real time, with virtually no delay at first, and none at all after the filter breaks in. And it filters the water twice, as you pour fresh water in and again as you pour it out.

More important, though, is the taste.

I’m happy to report it’s good.

Okay, great.

There’s none of the charcoal smell or taste I’ve found with other filters, and no hint of cloudiness or other unpleasant odors. In fact, the company claims independent tests showed it removed 97% of chlorine taste and odor. So all you get is crisp, clear water that compares favorably with the water found on the grocery shelves.

If I was to rank it — and why not, since this is my review — I’d put it just below Arrowhead Spring water and a step above Sparkletts, at a fraction of the cost. And way beyond the generic jugs on the supermarket shelf.

It also pours easily, allowing me to fill even narrow containers with ease. And since it filters in real time, I can fill the container, then pour it directly into the coffee maker or ice tray for better tasting coffee and ice.

It’s also BPA-free and dishwasher safe, and comes with a lifetime guarantee.

Bottom line, we’ve gone from buying eight gallons of water a week to just one, at most. And then only to rotate the stock of water we keep on hand in case of earthquake or zombie apocalypse.

Which means, at an average bottled water cost of $10 a week, the Relay paid off its $36.99 retail cost in about four weeks, tax included.

Better yet, the filter lasts for four months; new filters cost just $28.50 for a three-pack — a full year supply — or $12 for a single filter, and can be found at Amazon.com, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, and CamelBak.com.

That’s just $65.49 for a full year of clean, great tasting water, compared to the $500 or so we would otherwise pay. And until I wrote that last sentence, I never realized what a waste of money that was.

I’m sold.

 

Category: Product Reviews / Tags: , ,

Insurance Companies Are Not Your Friend

May 7, 2014 / / 5 comments

 

Jim Pocrass, Pocrass & De Los Reyes LLP

Jim Pocrass, Pocrass & De Los Reyes LLP

Bikes Have Rights™
By James L. Pocrass, Esq.
Pocrass & De Los Reyes LLP 
 

Behind the warm and fuzzy jingles, the precocious animal mascots, and the deep-voiced spokespersons, insurance companies are faceless, heartless corporations whose one purpose is to increase premiums and to decrease payouts in order to make the biggest profits possible.

Simply put, THAT is why you need your own lawyer if you have a bike accident.

If insurance companies were “fair,” I’d be out of a job. I am pretty confident that unemployment due to insurance companies deciding to do the “right thing” is not something I have to worry about in my lifetime.

The reality is, after you have had a bike accident and the friendly insurance adjuster calls you, his (or her), goal is to come up with a reason not to pay you. If he can’t outright deny you compensation for your damages, he wants to diminish your case so the company has to pay you as little as possible.

Rest assured, everything you say to that nice insurance adjustor can and will be used against you in a court of law. That is why I – and every other personal injury lawyer – will tell you to refuse to speak to an insurance adjuster or insurance representative. Give the adjustor your lawyer’s name and phone number and hang up.

If you cooperate with the insurance adjuster and you are offered a settlement, it is likely that you are getting 10 cents on the dollar of the value of your case. I was once told by an adjuster that he received a bonus if he could settle a case within 48-hours.

Let me tell you about a case I handled. A client who had a Los Angeles bike accident injured his shoulder. He talked with the kindly insurance adjuster who sympathized and sent him to a doctor (an insurance company sending you to a doctor is a rare occurrence).

SURPRISE! The doctor recommended by the insurance company said my client’s shoulder was fine. The company offered my client $5,000 to settle his case.

My client’s shoulder really hurt. He finally engaged a lawyer (me), and I sent him to a doctor. The doctor I sent him to diagnosed a torn rotator cuff. He underwent surgery. We settled the case for $150,000.

Never forget that insurance companies have more knowledge than you do. They also employ an army of lawyers. They can throw more resources at your case than you even know exist. They have all the power, all the money, and the wherewithal to fight you when you are fighting alone.

You need an experienced personal injury lawyer to level the playing field. I have written here before about how to choose a lawyer, but it bears repeating to say you should look at how or where you got the referral, the lawyer’s experience in your type of case, and the results the lawyer has achieved.

Now go increase your uninsured motorist insurance to the maximum the insurance company will permit, and the next time you see an insurance company commercial, remember, they are not your friend.

*California Vehicle Code 21200: A person riding a bicycle or operating a pedicab upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle. . .

For more than 25 years, Jim Pocrass has represented people who were seriously injured, or families who lost a loved one in a wrongful death, due to the carelessness or negligence of another. Jim is repeatedly named to Best Lawyers of America and to Southern California Super Lawyers for the outstanding results he consistently achieves for his clients. Having represented hundreds of cyclists during his career, and Jim’s own interest in cycling, have resulted in him becoming a bicycle advocate. He is a board member of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. For a free, no-obligation consultation, contact Jim Pocrass at 310.550.9050 or at info@pocrass.com.

*Sponsored post

 

Category: Bikes & the Law, Bikes Have Rights, Guest Columns / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: Pro cycling tours kickoff, the Bieb take a pedacab and six-year old cyclists come to blows

May 6, 2014 / / One comment

Lots of pro cycling news today.

Once again, cycling fans’ attention will be divided as this weekend’s kickoff to the Amgen Tour of California goes head-to-head against the Irish start of the legendary Giro d’Italia; always disappointing that these two great tours have to run at the same time.

The inaugural Women’s Tour of Britain starts today; meanwhile, one of Canada’s biggest bike events offers equal prize money for men and women. Nice to finally see women cyclists finally get the attention and support they deserve.

And Colorado’s USA Pro Challenge announces the routes for this summer’s race, including its first-ever mountaintop finish.

………

Nice video for today’s Culver City’s Bike to School Day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbzMszGbNWA&feature=youtu.be

………

Local

A writer for KCET calls for transportation equity and just growth.

Just Ride LA hosts a free Street Cycling Skills Workshop next Wednesday.

After showing off his pantsless posterior, the Bieb takes a pedacab on Venice Beach as his bodyguard is forced to run along behind.

Metro teams with CICLE and the Eastside Bike Club to host the Old Roots, New Routes ride to visit the new Rosemead Blvd cycle tracks.

Pasadena’s Colorado Blvd goes car-free for two hours on Saturday the 17th in advance of the finish of Stage 7 of the Amgen Tour of California at Pasadena City Hall.

 

State

A Laguna Beach mountain bike rider is airlifted out of El Moro Canyon with a broken leg; a reminder to ride with a companion and always carry a cell phone and water when you go off road.

A minor miracle in Rancho Cordova, as a bike rider survives a collision with a train.

Freakonomics says what so many cyclists have said before — if you want to get away with killing someone, use a car.

 

National

Esquire offers advice on how men can ride to work in style. Or you could try this $730 bike commuter suit.

Bazaar captures 10 women celebrities who bike in style. And yes, they do.

Evidently America’s bike paradise still has some work to do. Is bike-friendly Portland resting on its laurels?

Connecticut passes a bill calling for a $1,000 fine for motorists who fail to operate their vehicles and cause injury or death. It may help hold dangerous drivers accountable after the fact, but will the threat of a fine really make people drive more safely?

A North Carolina bike lawyer says bicycle crashes aren’t accidents.

 

International

British Olympic and Paralympic stars call on the country to make the roads safer for cyclists.

Less than bike-friendly Madrid is about to get an e-bike share program. Electric bikes make a lot of sense for a bike share system due to users widely varied skills and fitness levels.

Buy an apartment in Melbourne, get a $1,000 bike and a place to fix it. Not that the price of the free bike hasn’t already been added in to the cost of the apartment, of course.

 

Finally…

Caught on camera — road raging Brit six-year olds come to blows after colliding on their bikes. And when you’re carrying an ounce of dope, it’s probably a good idea to listen to the cops when they tell you to stop popping wheelies.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , ,

Morning Links: Petition urges tougher hit-and-run penalties; an LA cyclist says you’re not above the law, either

May 5, 2014 / / 5 comments

A new petition urges tougher penalties for hit-and-run drivers who injure or kill bicyclists, runners or pedestrians, in the wake of the gentle wrist-caress plea deal given the drunken killer of cyclist Andy Garcia.

If you’ve been coming here for awhile, you know I’ve offered my own suggestions on how to put an end to hit-and-runs once and for all.

Meanwhile, another petition calls for an end to the common practice of driving — legally — without plates, which makes it virtually impossible to identify drivers who flee after injuring or killing someone. Although some people want to remove the requirement for a front plate entirely because it reduces aerodynamics and might get dinged during a car wash.

Seriously.

But if some driver takes off after running over my ass, I want the cops to be able to read the imprint of the jerk’s license plate embedded on my butt cheeks.

One way or another, though, something has to be done now to stop dangerous drivers from running away like the cowards they are after colliding with another person or vehicle.

And force them to take responsibility for their actions.

Willingly or not.

……..

An LA bike blogger offers a word of advice to his fellow bike riders:

JUST QUIT BREAKING THE DAMN LAW, PEOPLE!

It’s a good read. And he’s got a point.

Though I might argue with the suggestion that the distain some drivers have for cyclists is justified by our own bad behavior.

But I’ve had the same experience he has of obeying the law only to watch another rider blow through the red light or stop sign I’ve stopped for. Or pausing to observe a motorist’s right-of-way only to have a cyclist swerve dangerously around me and cut the car off — then flip off the driver for the chaos he created.

And yes, it’s inevitably a he.

Granted, traffic laws were not written with cyclists in mind. And sometimes safety dictates observing the spirit, rather than the letter of the law.

But we can’t expect others on the roads to obey the laws we choose to flaunt.

There’s absolutely nothing that says traffic regulations don’t apply to you. Or me, for that matter.

And let’s not forget that if anything bad does happen, you’ll likely lose any chance of an insurance or legal settlement if it can be shown you were even partly in the wrong. Regardless of what the other party may or may not have done.

It may not be fair.

But that’s the world we live in these days.

……..

Local

Flying Pigeon shows how it’s done when they successfully bike the vote at the recent NELA Neighborhood Council elections.

Bodacious Bike Babes visited Union Station in advance of its 75th — not 25th — anniversary.

UCLA celebrates Bike Week next week.

The annual Palms Bike Rodeo takes place this Saturday.

 

State

The OC Register reports on Sunday’s Dana Point Grand Prix that left five women riders injured.

Bike riders take over San Diego’s Barrio Logan for a full day of all-ages bike racing.

In a nice gesture, a San Jose writer suggests naming a bike boulevard after a local priest who was killed while riding his bike.

 

National

Sadly, Silicon Valley actor and “fanatical” cyclist Chris Welch succumbs to the cancer he’d battled since 2010.

Streetsblog remembers bike-friendly former Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar.

A Las Vegas driver faces DUI charges when he hits a 12-year old bike rider before and after slamming into multiple parked cars, then fleeing the scene.

A Portland bike rider files suit against the city after she’s injured on streetcar tracks trying to avoid people standing in the bike lane.

New York cyclists celebrate the Blessing of the Bicycles; LA riders will celebrate ours next Tuesday as Good Samaritan Hospital honors Ghost Bikes LA. Thanks to Erik Griswold for the heads-up.

As helmets become more common for kid’s activities, including bike riding, they still do nothing to prevent concussions. As I’ve learned the hard way.

 

International

A UK rider points out the indignities women have to put up with when she’s slapped on the ass from a passing motorcycle. Unfortunately, that’s a story I’ve heard too often from other women, as well.

Now that’s more like it. British drivers who kill while driving with a suspended license will now face 10 years in prison. Then again, I’d vote for prison time for anyone who continues to drive after their license has been revoked.

Nice promo for the inaugural Women’s Tour of Great Britain this month.

 

Finally…

Top women’s pro cyclist Evelyn Stevens is just the latest to offer a video on how to change a flat tire — after the proper nourishment, of course. And a new video shows how not to lock your bike like an idiot.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Hit-and-Run, Morning Links, Roadway Courtesy / Tags: , , ,

BOLO for Mission Hills hit-and-run driver who seriously injured bike rider

May 5, 2014 / / 6 comments

This morning we linked to a brief item about a bike rider who was seriously injured in a Mission Hills hit-and-run on Sunday.

Now more details have been added to the story.

According to the Daily News, the victim, identified only as a 53-year old North Hollywood resident, was riding west on Devonshire around 9:44 am when he attempted to cross Sepulveda Blvd on the green light. A white car headed north on Sepulveda stopped briefly at the red light before accelerating and crashing into the rider directly in front of him.

The paper reports he rolled onto the hood, smashing into the windshield, before being thrown to the ground when the driver braked before fleeing the scene. He was taken to a nearby hospital with broken bones, but no life threatening injuries.

The story also notes that the victim wasn’t wearing a helmet.

Since he does not appear to have suffered a head injury, the Daily News is apparently under the impression that a bike helmet somehow would have prevented the collision or made a rider impervious to any injury, including broken bones in other parts of the body.

An alert from the LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division describes the vehicle as a white four-door Jaguar, no model given, with black rims. The driver is described as Hispanic male with dark hair, around 30–40 years old.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Valley Traffic Division Detectives at 818/644-8020; anonymous tips can be called into Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800/222-8477).

Keep your eyes open for a white Jag with front-end damage, especially if you ride in the North San Fernando Valley. Let’s help the LAPD bring this heartless SOB to justice.

Thanks to Richard Risemberg for the heads-up.

And best wishes to the victim for fast and full recovery.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities, Law Enforcement / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: A brief visit to the Santa Monica Bike Expo, and bicycling loses a good friend over the weekend

May 4, 2014 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: A brief visit to the Santa Monica Bike Expo, and bicycling loses a good friend over the weekend

SaMo Bike Expo 1For a first time event, it seemed to go pretty well.

I stopped by the Santa Monica Bike Expo on Sunday, wife and Corgi in tow, since neither seems inclined to let me out of their sight for too long for fear I’ll drop dead from my newly diagnosed disorder, and/or the multiple meds I’m on to treat it.

Not that I don’t appreciate their concern.

There was a good selection of bike shops and manufacturers represented, including Xtracycle, Tern and Linus, who had the classiest booth by far. And there was a heavy emphasis ebikes; evidently beachside biking no longer requires actually turning the pedals yourself.

While the turnout wasn’t huge, there were quite a few people strolling the booths in the pier parking lot where the Cirque de Soleil tents stood until recently. I’m told Sunday was busier than Saturday; then again, it’s hard to compete with the day-long Long Beach Bike Fest a relatively short ride to the south.

SaMo Bike Expo 2And the beachfront location seemed to work in their favor, as a number of riders stopped in as they were riding by on the bike path; one rider even purchasde new grips to cover the bare handlebars on his long-neglected cruiser.

All in all, it seemed to be a good start.

Hopefully organizers will bring the free event back again next year, and encourage greater participation from shops and groups beyond the Santa Monica borders. And maybe pick a date that doesn’t conflict with other major bike events next time.

This is something LA has needed for a very long time. Let’s hope it proves successful for everyone involved.

……..

Sad news, as the best friend bicycling ever had in the halls of Congress passed away on Saturday. Former Minnesota Representative Jim Oberstar died in his sleep at age 79, after serving 18 terms in the US House.

We owe him a round of thanks for all he did to promote bicycling and alternative transportation over the years. He will be sorely missed.

Thanks to Patrick Pascal for the heads-up.

……..

Okay, so it has nothing to do with bicycling. But this is probably the most breathtakingly beautiful video of Los Angeles you’ll see today. And make sure to click on the full-screen option for full effect.

……..

Local

A 53-year old North Hollywood bike rider is seriously injured in a Mission Hills hit-and-run on Sunday morning.

Orange 20 Bikes urges you to fight to save the North Figueroa bike lanes, and questions why bike riders who have a stake in the area are considered “outside interests.” Very good question.

The LAPD’s Rampart Division celebrates Star Wars Day, aka May the 4th, with a badly Photoshopped photo of cops wielding light sabers — lifted from a 2009 Bikeside post criticizing the department for not giving a damn about cyclists in the relatively recent bad old days.

A gossip website says celebrities are avoiding rising gas prices by riding their bikes. Yeah, that’s the reason they ride, because they can’t afford to fill the tanks on their Bentleys. Then again, we can all be glad Lindsey Lohan is choosing not to get behind the wheel these days, for whatever reason.

 

State

The CHP encourages everyone to be a Roll Model — get it? — on the streets. And thankfully, directs the message to motorists as well as bicyclists for a change.

Five women’s riders were injured in a crash just 100 feet from the finish line at Sunday’s Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling; three riders were transported to a local hospital.

Santa Cruz County held an open streets event — aka ciclovia — in Capitola Sunday.

Eureka is named a bronze-level bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists.

 

National

The Centers for Disease Control calls on Americans to walk or bike instead of driving, in part due to the risk of car collisions.

Bicycling lists 50 rides of a lifetime around the world; PCH checks in at number four, while Mt. Baldy ranks 42nd.

That’s one way to stop a dangerous driver. After a Las Vegas motorist struck a 12-year old bike rider, a nearby man opens fire, claiming he shot to protect the boy and other neighborhood kids. Fortunately, no one was hit.

In 1897, one out of every five Chicago residents rode a bike. No wonder they call it the good old days.

The Washington Post conveys a bike-friendly safety message from AAA. Yet somehow overstates the number of bike riders killed each year by a factor of seven.

 

International

Injury rates are up for Montreal bike riders. So are traffic tickets. Then again, there’s no point in fixing dangerous streets when you can just tell cyclists to ride on the sidewalk.

A new video offers advice on how to be a gentleman cyclist. Evidently either women don’t ride, or they already follow the rules.

A record-setting Brit cyclist celebrates her 100th birthday; in 1938, she set out to ride every day of the year, eventually covering nearly 30,000 miles.

An Oxford, England cyclist is shocked! shocked! that the U-lock he swung at an angry driver actually hit him. Is it just me, or is the best way to ensure you don’t hit anyone is not to swing your effing lock at them in the first place?

An Aussie website says a government minister’s call to license cyclists is an “exceptionally silly idea,” noting a recent study found drivers at fault in 79% of cases.

 

Finally…

Must be one hell of an app. When a New York bike rider is arrested for — legally — filming a cop with his cell phone, the cop claims iPhones are being used as guns.

And a blogger says please stop blaming me for what other bike riders do.

Indeed.

Category: General, Morning Links /
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