Archive for bikinginla

Westfield Century City wants your business. And they have the free bike valet to prove it.

July 17, 2013 / / One comment

Westfield Bike ValetFinally, someone gets it.

Instead of fighting to keep bike lanes and the bicyclists who use them from besmirching their businesses — as merchants on North Figueroa and York Blvd in Northeast LA have done lately — Westfield Century City is throwing open the doors for people on bikes.

The Westside shopping center, which sits at the eastern terminus of one of the city’s most popular bike lanes, wants your business.

No, they really want your business.

As I hinted yesterday, the busy mall is planning a new Bike Station, which will be the first in the city of Los Angeles. And just the second to be found north of Long Beach, following the highly successful Santa Monica Bike Centers.

Now Westfield’s Assistant General Manager Louis Schillace tells me they’re offering a free bike valet service. In fact, it’s already open, with the first signs going up along the eastbound Santa Monica Blvd bike lane on Tuesday.

Just ride up to the valet station at the front of the shopping center anytime between 10 am and 11 pm, and the Valet Ambassadors will issue you a ticket and lock your bike in a secure storage area while you shop, take in a movie or just hang out for awhile.

And did I mention it’s free?

Particularly nice now that they charge motorists a minimum of $1 for parking — which rises dramatically after three hours.

And which doesn’t seem to have done anything to diminish the demand for parking, as both levels of the upscale mall’s massive parking lots are often full.

As someone who’s lived in the area almost as long as I’ve been in Los Angeles, I used to avoid driving to the mall from Thanksgiving to New Years, when the holiday shopping frenzy meant long waits and endless circling for one of the few available parking spaces.

Now the popularity of Westfield Century City’s stores and restaurants, combined with one of the city’s busiest movie theaters, means that parking backlog exists year round, on most evenings and every weekend.

Bike Valet SignWhich is probably why their parking valet is always packed. And why they’re building a new 500-space parking garage next to Gelson’s and the aforementioned AMC Theaters.

But unlike most malls in auto-centric LA, they get it.

They understand that bikes mean business. And that giving people an opportunity to get out of their cars and ride to Pink Taco, the Apple Store or the latest Hollywood blockbuster on a typically perfect SoCal day means fewer cars clogging those parking lots and the streets leading up to them.

And that replacing their old, hidden wheel bender racks with safe, secure and convenient bike parking is the best way to entice us to open our wallets.

Meanwhile, the free — and yes, I can’t seem to mention that enough — bike valet is only the beginning.

In the near future, what Schillace assures me will be a state-of-the-art bicycle facility will provide an even better option for local riders.

The Bike Lockers will be in our secure valet area and heavily monitored. There will be access control to ensure the safety of the bikes. We will have male and female changing rooms with showers available for people who bike to the center and wish to freshen up.

Sounds perfect for people who commute to work in Century City. And once again, the plan is for the lockers to be free, though that may change depending on demand.

I can live with that.

I’m usually not one to recommend going to a mall. Let alone actually shopping in one.

But I’d love to see their bike valet swamped with bicycles this weekend, and every weekend to come. Along with an uptick in business to confirm they made the right choice.

And encourage other LA businesses to follow their example.

And while you’re there, be sure to stop at the concierge booth or mall offices and say thanks.

………

On the other hand, one of LA’s leading landmarks could stand to show some serious improvement.

Bike advocate Niall Huffman rode to the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday for a show featuring, as he put it, “badass Mexican guitarists Rodrigo y Gabriela along with DeVotchka and Lord Huron.” But when it came time to park his bike, he found the situation sadly lacking.

Leading to this email to the Bowl’s management.

To whom it may concern:

I strongly encourage the Hollywood Bowl to re-evaluate how it accommodates the parking needs of patrons who choose to arrive by bicycle. I recently rode my bike to an event, and found the designated “bike parking” (i.e., a railing around a tree next to the Main Gate) to be a joke. By the time I arrived 15 minutes before showtime, the entire outside of the railing was occupied by locked bikes, and I had to hoist my bike and clamber over the railing in order to find a space to lock up. Because the height of the railing interfered with my handlebars, it took me several minutes to figure out how to move the frame of my bicycle close enough to the railing to be able to lock it securely. A picture I took of the designated bike parking area — overflowing with locked bikes — may be viewed at http://goo.gl/7cFVA.

Hollywood Bowl bike parking

I found the whole experience to be undignified and unworthy of the Bowl’s reputation as a world-class live music venue. Beyond this, I am disappointed that the Bowl’s management has yet to see the wisdom of making arriving by bicycle a more convenient experience. Bicycles, after all, take up much less space than automobiles and do not contribute to the pre- and post-event congestion on surrounding streets for which the Bowl has become famous. In a time when the City of Los Angeles is seeking to encourage public transit, bicycling and walking as alternatives to sitting in traffic and making significant investments in improvements for users of these modes, the failure of large destinations like the Bowl to accommodate bicyclists at the end of their trips is holding back the achievement of this worthy policy goal.

This is all very frustrating because it would be remarkably easy for the Bowl to support the proper parking and locking of bicycles. Properly designed bicycle parking can accommodate 8 to 12 bikes in the space it would take to park one car, and standard U-shaped racks accommodating two bikes each can be bought and installed for around $100-200 apiece. Surely there is space somewhere on the Bowl’s property and in its budget for a few dozen of these racks.

If you require more information about how to provide proper bicycle parking, I recommend consulting the Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Professionals’ “Bicycle Parking Guidelines” (available at http://goo.gl/k3KOl), which contains standards for the shape, spacing and siting of bike racks. It would also be a good idea to review the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s guidelines for bike parking (http://goo.gl/vXOBY). It is key that any new bike racks allow for the frame — not just the wheel — of the bicycle to be locked, and that they not require the bicycle to be lifted off the ground.

It is my sincere hope that the management of the Bowl take this problem seriously and work in good faith to address it. I look forward to many more years of riding my bike to events and being treated with the same respect and dignity as any other Bowl patron.

Niall offered the following update on Tuesday:

UPDATE (7/16/13 5:19 pm): I’m told the Bowl provides a sweet bike rack to its employees and that there’s at least one bike commuter in their marketing department who’s working on improving the bike parking for event patrons, including discussing the possibility of having the LA County Bicycle Coalition coordinate a bike valet. Good to hear things may be getting better!

………

On a sadder subject, I’ve gotten a report that another bicyclist has died in Pasadena. However, I haven’t been able to get any confirmation yet; let’s hope it’s not true. And offer a few prayers just in case.

Category: General, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , ,

Was the brother of a Gardena bike theft victim murdered by the cops sent to help them?

July 15, 2013 / / 4 comments

Maybe those riders in Gardena are lucky they only got ticketed for blocking the lane.

It was suspicious enough when Gardena police blew away the brother of the victim — yes, victim — of a bike theft last month, because they couldn’t be bothered to let him explain that the bike-riding men they’d detained were friends who were helping to look for his brothers bike.

And yes, he said it in English, according to witnesses.

Somehow, the patrons at a nearby restaurant were able to understand Ricardo Diaz-Zeferino clearly. But the cops couldn’t seem to make it out, claiming he was shouting and gesturing before reaching towards his waistband.

So they shot him.

Eight times.

Including twice in the back.

One of those non-bike theft friends was also shot. And yes, also in the back.

Maybe they have a problem with backward shooting trick shot artists down there.

Never mind that the officers shot and killed an unarmed man. Or the recklessness they showed in opening fire just feet from of a crowded Redondo Beach Boulevard restaurant.

At best, it looks like an incredibly bad shoot by a trio of trigger happy cops. At worst, they may have murdered the brother of a petty crime victim

I cannot repeat that enough. They killed someone helping the victim of the crime.

And now those officers are back on the street after being placed on administrative leave.

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to stay the hell out of Gardena for the foreseeable future.

And whatever you do, don’t report a crime there.

Correction: An earlier draft said police had killed the victim of the bike theft, which had been my understanding. However, this story from the Daily Breeze makes it clear that the man who was killed, Ricardo Diaz-Zeferino, was the brother of the man who had his bike stolen, and was assisting in the search for the stolen bike. Thanks to Streetsblog’s Sahra Sulaiman for the correction.

………

Meanwhile, in yet another black mark on the city’s police department — which still hasn’t been able to catch the killer of hit-and-run victim Benjamin Torres — Streetsblog’s Damien Newton writes that you shouldn’t expect justice in the case of the LAPD Sargent whose daughter is charged with killing bike-riding postal worker Jesse Dotson in a hit-and-run.

That’s because Gardena police aren’t even investigating the father, even though she was driving his car, which was later reported stolen. And oddly, discovered just blocks away from their home.

As Damien put it,

He either believes his daughter’s ridiculous story and is one of the worst investigative officers ever, or he is complicit in the scheme to report the car stolen.

Yeah, no point in investigating that.

………

Bike racer Emma Pooley says it’s long past time that women bike racers were allowed to compete equally with the men — in fact, they used to just a few decades back, both in the Tour de France and America’s late, great Red Zinger/Coors Classic.

If you agree women belong in a parallel Le Tour — let alone the Amgen Tour of California and the upcoming USA Pro Challenge — sign the petition here.

I did.

………

A new bike and pedestrian bridge over the LA River on its way to approval by the LA City Council may make a planned Glendale bridge superfluous. The county breaks ground on a new segment of LA River pathway in Studio City and Sherman Oaks. The Source is enthusiastic about bike trains. Participants in Friday’s Zócalo Public Square/Grand Park forum call for a cease fire between bicyclists and drivers. Tell that to the papers of the Los Angeles News Group, who continue to troll for bike hate, this time questioning if LA commuters will ever bike to work, in a negatively worded poll. A Pasadena bike rider suffers life threatening injuries in a head-on collision with a salmon cyclist. Boyonabike looks at cars and the environment. Ride with the mayor of Montebello next Sunday. Over 500 riders turn out for the first ever Long Beach women’s only Beach Babe Classic. A Santa Clarita cyclist suffers a broken back in a hit-and-run; the driver turned himself in four hours later, apparently at the urging of family members. The San Diego Union-Tribune endorses efforts to promote bicycling in the county. Evidently, you don’t have to be sane to have a drivers license in California, with predictable results.

Scion thinks you’re an obstacle, but they’re really, really sorry about it. Elly Blue says our roads are depreciating, too. Do bike shops just market to white males? Cycle chic is already a thing; you can’t co-opt it by adding “ing,” even if helmets really are becoming more fashionable. Five innovative ways to park a bike. Using a bike as a weapon is no different from using a car as a weapon, except for the results. Famed researcher John Pucher says it’s time for a bike renaissance in Seattle. The Boulder CO sheriff says the road rage brake check that left a leading triathlete seriously injured wasn’t. An aggressive road-raging, horn-blaring, multi-car passing Colorado driver films his own apoplectic outrage at a group of bicyclists. Turns out you can’t use your car as a weapon to run down a bike riding, cigarette-stealing Wisconsin thief, after all. Even a protected bike lane isn’t enough to protect a Chicago bike rider. Michigan police arrest a 12-year old bike riding bank robber. Thanks to our veto-wielding governor, California can’t even get a three-foot passing law; a Maine writer says three-feet isn’t enough. Lesson #1: Try not to share the same stretch of asphalt as your boyfriend’s crazed, motor-maniacal ex. Upstate New York triathlete killed when he rides into the back of a parked car; another is seriously injured while exchanging water bottles. A pair of bike-riding Pennsylvania teenagers rescue a kidnapped five-year old girl; thanks to D.D. Syrdal for the heads-up. The next broken down bike rider you see could be Dave Matthews on his way to his own show, and you could get front row tickets if you stop. Seriously, no matter how pissed off you are about the 70-something driver who nearly hit you, don’t try to punch him out. A nice piece from Bike Delaware explains why you may be invisible to some drivers.

A British pub owner is really, really sorry he threatened to run down “weak-kneed” cyclists at 60 mph. Half of all Brits admit to road rage; maybe that’s why someone is pushing people off bikes in Leicester. With a week left, the Tour de France may already be over, as Froome looks unbeatable. Cadel Evans tweets advice on how to watch a bike race safely. A year after she quit racing, American Mara Abbott is a two-time winner of Italy’s prestigious Giro Rosa. Lexus rolls out a one million-yen limited edition bike; yawn.

Finally, what do you do after leaving City Council? Former Councilmember Ed Reyes rides a bike. And it looks like Westfield Century City will soon open LA’s first bike station; more on that later.

Westfield Bike Station

Category: Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Law Enforcement, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Because every child has a right to grow up

July 15, 2013 / / 8 comments

This is so not what I want to write about.

I’ve been working on another post, taking on so-called futurist Syd Mead, who somehow can’t seem to envision a future with bikes in it.

And typically, complains about empty unused bike lanes. Yet in the next breath, worries about cars unable to turn right because of all the bikes blocking their path.

Sometimes they just make it too easy.

But frankly, my heart’s just not in it.

Not tonight.

Because tonight my heart is weighed down by Skittles and tea, bumpers and guns; badly broken by a world where too many children lose their lives before they can get back home.

Yes, I’m talking about Trayvon Martin.

But I’m also talking about Horacio Pineda.

And Alex Romero.

And Danny Marin.

And Shantrel Williams.

And Jonathon Fernandez.

And Jeremy Perez.

And Joseph Parra.

And Roger Lewis.

And David Granados.

And Jonathon Hernandez.

All were 18-years old or younger when the life was crushed out of them by the bumper of a car. Or under a bus or truck.

In some cases, the driver was at fault. In some, the rider.

And in some, we’ll never know.

And those are just the one from Los Angeles County in the last three years. And only those who died in collisions.

The numbers would jump considerably if we added those who died from falls or trains or solo collisions. Or other SoCal counties outside LA.

Or gun violence while riding their bikes.

Like Martin, they had no idea when they left home they’d never return again. Or that the next time their parents and loved ones would say goodbye, it would be forever.

In his case, he went out for some Skittles and an iced tea.

The others were out with friends or running errands. Or just, you know, riding their bikes.

Like many others, I’m troubled by the Zimmerman verdict. Just as I am all the drivers who get off after killing a bike rider, or get just a slap on the wrist while their victims get the death penalty.

Or never face charges at all. If they’re ever found, for that matter.

I can’t say if he deserved to be convicted. I wasn’t in the courtroom; the only evidence I saw was what was presented on TV.

If you really want my opinion — and God knows, I don’t know why you would  in this case — he’s responsible for everything that happened once he ignored police instructions to stay out of it.

But I wasn’t there.

And unless your name is Zimmerman, neither were you.

What I do know is that far too many children are dying on our streets, victims of guns and gangs and cars and predators. And if we are ever to succeed as a civil society, it has to stop.

Now.

The Netherlands were once as car centric a nation as we are.

But the Stop de Kindermoord (stop the child murder) movement led to dramatic changes in transportation and society that gave a higher priority to the lives and safety of children and other assorted human beings.

Because it’s not just children who are dying out there.

It just seems more heartbreaking when it’s a future full of possibilities that’s snuffed out.

We need something like that, right here and right now. Something that goes beyond just traffic to address all the reason parents have to rightfully fear for their children whenever they leave the relative safety of home.

And to keep those children safe from the countless boogeymen and women behind the wheel.

Or behind the trigger.

Because the most fundamental right of all should be the right of every child to grow up.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , ,

Update: Busted for going too slow? Or Biking While Brown in Gardena?

July 12, 2013 / / 23 comments

Update: Here’s video of the  incident. I wonder how many motorists are frisked or searched for weapons for a simple traffic violation?

Something tells me a white, middle-aged man like me would have have been treated far differently under similar circumstances.

………

We’ll hope it was just a mistake.

On Wednesday night, a group of bike riders were on their way for a meeting with the Gardena City Manager when an apparently over-enthusiastic police officer pulled the entire group over. And ticketed them for a violation that didn’t apply under the circumstances.

From the Los Riders Facebook page

From the Los Riders Facebook page

Representatives of the United Riders, made up of members of Los Riders and East Side Riders, were on their way to city hall with relatives of hit-and-run victim Benjamin Torres in their continuing fight for justice in the still unsolved case. As well as  to discuss the issue of ghost bikes following the removal the memorial for Torres.

In the absence of a bike lane or other bicycling infrastructure, they were riding in the right lane, outside the door zone — as they are legally entitled to do — when they were pulled over by a squad car on the 15400 block of South Western Avenue.

According to the Los Riders Facebook page, they were told to sit on the curb while the officer waited for her Sargent to arrive with another four patrol cars in tow.

All for a handful of bicyclists riding slowly  on their casual cruiser bikes.

Maybe too slow for the officer in question, who, after consulting with her superior, ended up citing the group for impeding traffic under CVC 22400.

Yet according to the LAPD, the standard for impedance requires a minimum of five vehicles stuck behind the slower moving vehicle and unable to pass, which was not likely in this case. And it doesn’t apply on roads with two or more lanes in each direction — like Western, for instance — where a driver could simply change lanes to go around the slower vehicle.

Or bike.

Or group of bikes.

In other words, despite the presence of at least six patrol officers, including a police Sargent, they couldn’t come up with a valid violation to cite the riders with.

And it’s pretty well guaranteed that those six patrol cars impeded traffic far more, and far longer, than a group of slow moving bike riders would have.

Meanwhile, the riders eventually got to city hall for their meeting. And ran into Gardena police chief Ed Medrano, who promised to talk with the officers in question.

No word on whether the tickets will be rescinded, however.

Which brings up the question of whether the riders were really stopped by an officer who didn’t understand the law because they were riding too slow.

Or because they were profiled based on their appearance and attire.

That’s not a question I can answer.

But its one I wish I didn’t have to ask.

Thanks to Danny Gamboa and Lynn Ingram for the heads-up.

Impeding Traffi Ticket

Update: The five vehicle standard in found under CVC 21656, which also notes it only apply on two-lane roads; thanks to billsd for the heads-up.

Meanwhile, Streetsblog’s Sahra Sulaiman offers a detailed look at what happened. 

Update 2: According to my records, Gardena has had at least three bicycling fatalities since 2010, including two in the last nine months — a horrible record for a town of under 60,000 people. And all of those were hit-and-runs.

They have far bigger problems than a few bicyclists riding in the traffic lane.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bikes & the Law, Law Enforcement / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Things you see while you’re riding, bike-friendly Roaring Nights at the Zoo, and a happy bike riding kid

July 11, 2013 / / 5 comments

Most rides, you don’t see anything out of the ordinary. And others just take your breath away.

I’ve ridden past the hang gliding launch site above Dockwieler State Beach for a couple decades now, and never actually seen one in the air. Until now.

Let alone ridden alongside, so close I could nearly touch it.

Then again, maybe you could do the flying yourself on your next ride.

………

This is what happens when I find myself stuck updating recent stories instead of working on my next post.

I get scooped once again by the ever-intrepid Damien Newton of LA Streetsblog.

Then again, this is a story worth sharing.

Roaring NightsBecause there’s a bike party going on at the LA Zoo. And if you’re over 18, you’re invited.

The Zoo’s Roaring Nights program offers live music, a DJ, stand-up comedy, food trucks and — here’s the best part — full bar service. Which means you can enjoy a beer while watching the bears. Or a martini with the marsupials.

Okay, maybe the second best part.

Because the Zoo is going to be LA Bike Central every Thursday for the next three weeks.

They’re encouraging everyone to ride their bikes there and leave their cars at home. Which means you could take a pleasant ride up the LA River bike path to the zoo on a warm and starry summer night. Or thanks to the 7 pm start time, make your way causally through the Griffith park area in relatively light post-rush hour traffic.

And you’ll find a free bike valet once you get there, courtesy of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, along with a special discount on admission for LACBC members.

You are a member, right?

WHEN:         

Thursdays, July 11, 18, and 25, 7:00  – 10:00 p.m.

LINE UP:      

July 11: Live band So Many Wizards; Comedians Rob Gleeson and Jonny Loquasto

July 18: Live band CHIEF; Comedians Francisco Ramos and Helen Hong

July 25: Live band NO; Improv comedy troupe

WHERE:

The Los Angles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027

The Los Angeles Zoo is located at the northeast corner of Griffith Park at the junction of the I-5 (Golden State) and the 134 (Ventura) freeways.

Biking to the Zoo is encouraged, and the Los Angeles County Bike Coalition (LACBC) will provide free bike valet for all of the Roaring Nights events.

COST:

The event is $18 for general admission, and $15 for members of GLAZA, KCRW, and LACBC members.

INFO:

For more information online, or to purchase tickets, please visit www.lazoo.org/roaringnights or call (323) 644-6042.

All events are 18+ and up. No outside food or drink is permitted.

………

The carnage continues, as two Highland CA boys are seriously injured when the bike they were sharing was hit by a car after they unexpectedly rode off the sidewalk into the roadway. The six- and nine-year old boys weren’t wearing helmets, despite state law requiring them for anyone under 18.

Meanwhile, Ontario police look for the killer of 17-year old cyclist Horacio Pineda, but have little to go on.

………

Patrick Pascal sends word that new bike lanes continue to spread across the city.

LADOT has finally completed the “last mile” of the Sunset Blvd bike lane!  For several years the lane ended at Douglas just west of Elysian Valley Parkway (the main entrance route to Dodger Stadium).  Today the reconfiguration was completed, adding (1) several hundred yards of bike lane from Douglas to Elysian Park and (2) a bus/bike lane continuing to Figueroa (where bike lanes into downtown were recently added).

While this project was modest in scope, it now allows a bicyclist to ride on bike infrastructure all the way from Hollywood to downtown.

………

The LACBC’s Eric Bruin’s and Boulevard Sentinel bike lane hater Tom Topping talk road diets with KPCC’s Larry Mantle, with a cameo by Flying Pigeon’s Josef Bray-Ali at the end. Speaking of Flying Pigeon, their popular Spoke(n) Art ride takes place this Saturday, and they say we should call them neighborhood greenways, instead. Bicycling is thriving in South LA, even if NPR and the Bike League are just starting to catch on. That universal access playground they’ve been building on the bike path in Santa Monica is finally ready to open. West Hollywood wants your online feedback for their new Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility Plan. Free bike safety classes are coming to Santa Monica and LA. Pasadena’s Municipal Services Committee rejects the city’s proposed bike plan, telling designers to come back with something more ambitious — including an east/west cycle track; Boyonabike calls it a sea change. LA Magazine offers a brief, mostly positive review of Calabasas bike café Pedalers Fork.

A Santa Barbara bike rider is killed in a late night collision; initial reports blame the victim. Professional mountain biker Matthew Slaven was shot in a Santa Cruz robbery on Monday. Santa Rosa becomes the latest city to pass an LA-style vulnerable user anti-harassment ordinance; thanks to murphstahoe for the heads-up. Is a bike path a success if most cyclists won’t ride it? A Palo Alto man is arrested for masturbating during the local fireworks show — while riding a bike, no less; the last line of the story is classic. A Donner Lake pedestrian was killed by a cyclist allegedly biking under the influence at 4th of July ceremonies. Dangerous days in Sacramento, as cyclist is intentionally rammed in a road rage attack, and another dodges a bullet fired by an angry driver.

The Bike League looks at Ride 2 Recovery through the eyes of a wounded warrior. A Texas right hook is caught on dashcam video. From wannabe Texas A&M yell leader to bike thief; can’t wait to see the inevitable Lifetime movie. A drunk hit-and-run driver is arrested for running down a seven-year old St. Paul cyclist. Now that they need cyclists’ votes, formerly anti-bike New York mayoral candidates are falling over themselves to be bike friendly. Evidently, the NYPD thinks bikes are more dangerous than cars. A Delaware rider is arrested for biking under the influence after crashing into a police cruiser. Famed open-source software developer Seth Vidal is killed in a North Carolina hit-and-run, his killer turned himself in on Tuesday; thanks to Monet Diamonte for the link. A speeding driver gets 7 years for killing a Florida man walking a bike.

Dogs chase bicyclists, so why wouldn’t a Yukon wolf, who stuck around to chew on the bike after the rider wisely bailed. A pair of experts put relative road risks in context while offering a polite smackdown in response to a paper’s call for licensing bicyclists. Calgary cyclists feel safe on the city’s new downtown cycle track. A UK cyclist is killed when he’s hit by a van during a local road race. A philosophical take on road raging anti-bike Twitter users, who somehow don’t seem to know what they’re saying. Wrong way Brit driver injures pedestrians before crashing into bus, so of course, it has to be the bicyclist’s fault. A writer for London’s Guardian says there’s no ethical case to be made for mandatory helmet laws. Meanwhile, London’s Mail manages to correct itself; the original headline located RAGBRAI in Idaho and called it a race, but at least they got the fact Lance will be riding there right. Pro rider Mark Cavendish is doused with urine — from a bottle, thankfully — during Wednesday’s Tour de France time trial; somehow, that didn’t make it into this otherwise all-inclusive animation explaining Le Tour in great, and very cute, detail. An international cycling classic just concluded in both Italy and great obscurity; no one even noticed an American won. I’m liking this guy more all the time, as newly installed Pope Francis calls on neophyte priests and nuns to give up fast cars and, yes, ride a bike; a Columbian priest actually takes him up on it. An Aussie man is told to stop buying stolen bikes, even if he is doing it for the right reasons. An Australian cyclist dies six months after he fell from his bike.

Finally, how could you not love this photo from the recent Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, courtesy of Red Kite Prayer‘s Patrick Brady? And yes, it gets bigger with a click.

How-To-Win-Races-And-Influence-People.sm_

Seriously, if you’ve forgotten the sheer joy of riding your bike, that smile is guaranteed to remind you.

I want to be like him when I grow up.

Category: Bike Cam Video, Bike Events, General / Tags: , , , , , ,

Update: 17-year old Ontario rider dies of injuries suffered in Sunday hit-and-run

July 9, 2013 / / 5 comments

Somehow, a good outcome didn’t seem likely this time.

While we should always hope for the best when a bike riders is seriously injured, it’s never a good sign when authorities use the term “life-threatening” to describe a rider’s injuries.

According to the San Bernardino County Coroner’s office, 17-year old Horacio Pineda died of his injuries at 8:20 Sunday night, after being found unresponsive in the street at 12:36 am.

The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin identifies the location where he was found as Riverside Drive east of Walker Ave. There was no other vehicle present; however, police believe a motorist traveling east on Riverside hit his bike before fleeing the scene.

Authorities are looking for a dark colored car of undermined make and model with likely front-end damage.

Ontario police believe the collision occurred sometime between 11:30 pm Saturday and 12:30 am Sunday. Which means Pineda could have bled in the street for more than a hour before help arrived; whether or not his life could have been saved if the coward who hit him had stopped may never be known.

As far as I’m concerned, any driver who leaves a hit-and-run victim to die in the street should be charged with murder, since he or she made a conscious decision to let them die rather than stop or call for help.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Ontario Police Department at (909) 986-67811 or Detective Steve Hurst at (909) 395-2902.

This is the 47th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth in San Bernardino County, which matches the county’s total for this time last year. And it is the 10th fatal hit-and-run in the seven-county SoCal region since the first of the year.

My prayers and sympathy go out to Horacio Pineda and all his loved ones. 

Thanks to JL for the news.

Update: Ontario police are looking for a suspect, but have little to go on. Anyone with information is urged to call the Ontario Police Department at 909-986-6711, or Officer Marshall Martinez at 909-395-2001 ext. 4679.

Update 2: KABC-7 offers a nice look at who Pineda was, and just how much the coward who killed him has stolen from his friends and family, and all of us. 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,

Update: Monrovia cyclist survives violent road rage assault; Ontario rider critically injured in hit-and-run

July 8, 2013 / / 5 comments

This has not been a good weekend for Southern California cyclists.

In addition to Saturday night’s collision that took the life of a Chatsworth bike rider, a rider was critically injured in deliberate motor vehicle assault in Monrovia, while a young Ontario bicyclist clings to life following an apparent hit-and-run.

……..

The Pasadena Star-News reports that 19-year old Anthony Pina of Glendora could be facing charges including DUI, hit-and-run, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon for a deliberate assault on at least one bike rider, as well as a motorist who tried to help.

The near-murderous rampage began a little before 6 am Saturday when a car matching the description of Pina’s 1987 Buick Regal collided with a 43-year old bike rider from El Monte, who has not been publicly identified, at the intersection of Mountain and Shrode Avenues just outside of Monrovia.

That collision may not have been intentional, according to police. But the decision to flee the scene, leaving the rider injured on the street, was.

About five to ten minutes later, Pina apparently aimed his car at a 63-year old bike rider at the intersection of Mountain Avenue and Royal Oaks Drive in a failed assault; again, the rider has not been publicly identified.

The bicyclist was not so lucky the second time.

Pina encountered the same cyclist a few blocks later at Huntington Drive and Mountain Avenue, where he reportedly carved donuts by repeatedly circling the bike before intentionally crashing into it. The rider was critically injured, but reportedly has stabilized following emergency surgery.

The paper reports there is no known connection between Pina and his victim.

Other than the fact he tried to kill him, that is.

As Pina once again fled the scene, he was followed onto the 210 Freeway by two men in a Mini Cooper who had witnessed the attack. When he discovered he was being followed, he pulled over to the side of the road, then deliberately crashed into the Mini Cooper before hitting the center divider and flipping his car.

Pina ran off on foot before being apprehended by an Azusa police officer minutes later. Remarkably, he was being held on just $50,000 bail pending a court appearance.

But let’s be clear about one thing. This is not a traffic case. Nor is it just another hit-and-run.

As the potential charges reflect, this was an attempt to murder another human being, followed by an attack on two others in a attempt to get away with the crime. The fact that he failed to kill his victim should not reduce the charges or the ultimate penalty in any way.

And neither should the fact he used a motor vehicle instead of a gun.

Thanks to BikeSGV for the heads-up.

Update: The Star-News reports that Monrovia police have concluded Pina did not know either rider, and the collisions with both were intentional; the CHP — which is running a concurrent investigation — may not be so sure. 

According to the MPD, Pina lay in wait for the second victim to pass after missing him the first time. 

The good news is, the second victim, who was the more severely injured of the two riders, is reportedly doing well and speaking with police. 

Update 2: According to the Star-News, Pina faces multiple charges. And deservedly so.

Anthony Pina, 19, was charged with four counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of drunken driving causing injury and two counts of hit-and-run causing injury, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said. He was ordered to return to Pasadena Superior Court July 31 for a preliminary hearing setting. 

His bail was also increased, from a paltry $50,000 to a more appropriate $320,000.

……..

At least in the Pina case, we know what happened.

We can’t say the same for a teenage cyclist who suffered life-threatening injuries in Ontario Sunday morning.

According to the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, the rider was found lying in the street at Riverside Drive east of Walker Ave around 12:36 am. There was no other vehicle present; however, police believe a motorist hit the rider while traveling east on Riverside before fleeing the scene.

The paper notes that the victim was not wearing a helmet, but does not indicate whether he suffered head injuries or if one would have been of any use in this case. A bike helmet offers no protection to any other part of the body, and is not designed to protect against high-speed collisions.

But let’s give the writer credit for not using the term “accident” anywhere in the story.

Police are looking for a dark colored car with front-end damage.

They believe the collision occurred sometime between 11:30 pm and 12:30 am. Which means the victim could have bled in the street for more than a hour before help arrived.

Let’s all hope he recovers from his injuries.

If he doesn’t, the driver should face a murder charge for denying him the prompt medical care that is the right of every traffic victim, and often means the difference between life and death.

Yet the driver who ran down this rider couldn’t be bothered to place a simple call for help before fleeing the scene like the coward he or she is. Let alone actually stop and render aid as the law requires.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Ontario Police Department at (909) 986-67811 or Detective Steve Hurst at (909) 395-2902.

Update: The victim, Horacio Pineda, died of his injuries Sunday night.

I hope you’ll join me in offering prayer, good thoughts, or whatever you are comfortable with for both of these victims for a full and fast recovery from their injuries. And for justice in both of these cases.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Bicyclist killed in Chatsworth after allegedly running red light

July 7, 2013 / / 3 comments

Just when it looked like we might get out of the 4th of July holiday weekend relatively unscathed, word comes that a bike rider was killed in Chatsworth last night.

The LA Daily News is reporting that 47-year old Chatsworth resident Samuel Martinez was riding west on Lassen Street at Topanga Canyon Blvd around 11:40 pm when he was struck by a Chevy Silverado pickup headed north on Topanga; he was pronounced at the scene.

A police spokesperson reports that Martinez went through the red light, making him responsible for the collision. And serving as a reminder why bicyclists — and everyone else on the roads — need to stop for traffic signals.

If you blow through a red light or stop sign, you’re likely to be held at fault for whatever might happen as a result. Regardless of what anyone else on the road may have done to contribute to the collision.

Which means that you could end up being the one ticketed for the collision. And that you, or your heirs, will be unlikely to receive any settlement as a result.

There is no mention of whether Martinez’ actions were confirmed by independent witnesses, however.

It’s a common problem that cyclists who are killed or seriously injured can’t present their side of the story, while the drivers who hit them understandably have an inherent interest in painting their actions in the best possible light. Unless someone other than the driver actually saw the collision, police should view driver’s statements regarding the actions of the victim critically.

Too often, they don’t.

It’s also possible that the light may have changed as Martinez was entering the intersection, leaving him unable to stop in time to avoid going through the red light or avoid the collision.

That is not to say Martinez didn’t simply blow through the light.

Just that such statements should be taken with a grain of salt if there are no corroborating witnesses.

Or sometimes, even if there are.

This is the 45th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 21st in Los Angeles County. Alarmingly, it’s also the seventh death of a bike rider in the City of Los Angeles since the first of the year — far surpassing the total for each of the last two years.

And this year is barely half over.

My sympathy and prayers for Samuel Martinez and all his family and friends.

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

South LA Peace Love and Family Ride, closing of Passable Atlas, and Long Beach Sunday Funday

July 6, 2013 / / Comments Off on South LA Peace Love and Family Ride, closing of Passable Atlas, and Long Beach Sunday Funday

Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

The Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee meets at 7 pm on the first Tuesday of each even-numbered month; the next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 6th at the Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall Community Room, 6501 Fountain Ave.

CD4 Council Member Tom LaBonge hosts his annual Tour LaBonge each Wednesday through August 17th.

Today, July 6th, the South L.A. Peace, Love and Family Ride for Childhood Obesity rolls from the corner of Manchester and Vermont at 8:30 am, with a family-friendly fair from 9 am to 5:30 pm.

On Saturday, July 6th, the Red5 Yellow7 Gallery hosts the closing of Passable Atlas, an exhibit by artists Sean Deyoe and Nathan Snider recreating four years of The Passage of a Few People Through a Rather Brief Moment in Time, a weekly Wednesday night bike ride exploring far-flung areas of the city. The exhibit will be followed by a Special Passage ride beginning at 8:30 pm at 4357 Melrose Ave in the HelMel Bicycle District.

The LACBC hosts their popular series of Sunday Funday rides on the first Sunday of every month. This month’s edition is the All Ages Sunday Funday Long Beach Ride: Bike Local, Shop Local hosted by board member and Long Beach native April Economides on Sunday, July 7th. The easy family ride offers a tour of Southern California’s most bike-friendly city. Meet at Fremont Elementary at East 4th Street and Termino in Belmont Heights at 10:15 am, rolling at 10:30.

Monrovia’s Gem City Grill will be the site of Sunday’s Rock 2 Recovery fundraiser for our Healing Heroes, a 21-and-over benefit for Ride 2 Recovery, from 6 pm to 11 pm at 115 E. Olive Ave.

Wednesday, July 10th, the City of Alhambra is hosting a celebration of the much hated and unnecessary proposed extension of the 710 Freeway. The Eastside Bike Club invites you to join them in crashing the party to show that bikes are a viable form of transportation — and one that doesn’t need massive, community-destroying freeways. Meet at the El Sereno Parklett, 4910 Huntington Drive in El Sereno; time to be announced.

July 12 Bicycle Flyer_finalOn Friday, July 12th, Zócalo Public Square will host a panel discussion entitled Will the Bicycle Kill the Car, hosted by L.A. Times transportation reporter Laura J. Nelson. The panel will include LADOT bicycle coordinator Nate Baird, Art Center College of Design director of advanced mobility research Geoff Wardle, and Move LA executive director Denny Zane; oddly, a discussion of the future of bicycling doesn’t include anyone from any of the area’s bicycling advocacy organizations. The free event starts at 6 pm at Grand Park, across from City Hall at 200 N. Grand Avenue.

The High Desert Cyclists invite you to join them in biking to San Buenaventura State Beach on Saturday, July 13th. Choose from three rides ranging from 35 to 80 miles, followed by a post-ride barbecue, free for members.

Women riders are invited to take part in the Beach Babe Bicycling Classic in Long Beach on Sunday, July 14th, with rides of 15 and 36 miles starting and ending a Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach.

Saturday, July 20th, the City of West Hollywood is hosting a Bike and Walk Workshop to gather community input on making friendlier streets, leading two simultaneous tour groups around town to point out areas for improvement and collect feedback. Meet at City Hall, 8300 Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm; RSVP to Georgia Sheridan at gsheridan@weho.org or call 323-828-6357 by July 15th.

Anyone willing to make the trip to the Bay Area may want to head to Oakland’s Jack London Square on Saturday, July 20th for the third annual Pedalfest, a free celebration of bikes, cycling, food family and fun; the event takes place from 11 am to 7 pm. Thanks to prinzrob for the heads-up.

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s Civic Engagement Committee meets at 6:45 pm on the last Tuesday of each month. This month’s meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 30th at the Johnnie’s Pizza at 5757 Wilshire Blvd at Museum Square. The meetings are open to everyone, and you don’t have to be an LACBC member to participate; email bikinginla at hotmail dot com to be added to the discussion list.

Here’s your chance to bike the famed Las Vegas strip and the surrounding Las Vegas Valley, with the 6th Annual RTC Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo Pinarello on Saturday, September 21st. The event will offer routes for riders of all levels, from a 17-mile ride to 60-mile Metric Century and a 103-mile Gran Fondo; the longer rides will visit the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and Lake Mead.

CicLAvia returns to an expanded version of the original Heart of LA route on Sunday, October 6th.

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , ,

South Bay cyclist victim of a hit-and-walk

July 5, 2013 / / 4 comments

One of the primary arguments used to attack bicyclists lately has been the alleged carelessness — or aggressiveness — some bike riders show around pedestrians.

Never mind that a solid  collision between a cyclist and someone on foot is likely to result in injuries to both. And while people can point fingers at a handful of cases where careless riders have seriously injured — or even killed — pedestrians, it is a problem that goes both ways.

As just about anyone who has ever ridden any of Southern California’s beachfront bike paths can attest.

Case in point, this email I received yesterday from frequent South Bay contributor Jim Lyle.

Nine days ago, I was returning home from my morning ride up the coast.  As I navigated the bike path under the Redondo Beach pier, a woman ducked under the chain that separates the bike path from the pedestrian walkway directly in front of me.  I slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting her and went down, hard.  As I hit the pavement, I heard a “pop” and knew it wasn’t going to be a good thing.  I unclipped and tried to get up, but couldn’t bear any weight on my left leg due to the pain.

Here’s where it gets surreal.  The woman, with a bunch of her friends, did not offer to help me, did not ask if I was OK, or if I was hurt; they simply walked away as if nothing had happened.  Does that qualify as a “hit and walk?”

I was able to pull myself up using the bike to lean on and hobbled to an open area where I had cell phone coverage.  I called a friend who lives near the pier and asked her to come get me.  She arrived, put the bicycle in the truck bed, but I couldn’t get into the cab, it was too high and it hurt too much to move the leg.  I started to go into shock, tunnel vision and losing consciousness.  My friend called 911.  The EMTs arrived, put me on a gurney, and transported me to emergency.  X-rays revealed I had snapped a bone on my femur, but there was no displacement.  They gave me pain meds and crutches and sent me home.  I return to the orthopod in a couple of weeks to make sure there’s been no movement of the bone and I’m on the road to recovery. Otherwise, they’ll have to do surgery.  Meanwhile, I’m moping around the house feeling sorry for myself.  It could have been worse, much, much worse.

As you know, it is illegal (CVC and city ordinances) for pedestrians to use the beach bike path.  There are signs posted and “BIKES ONLY” is painted on the path every few yards.  Because these laws are not enforced, pedestrians, nannies, dog walkers, skaters, illiterates, and scofflaws use the bike path instead of the pedestrian walkway which is often within spitting range.  I always knew this created a dangerous situation for cyclists and pedestrians. And, now, I’m a victim.

In the past, a polite “on your left” or “bikes only, please” would be sufficient.  In future, when I’m back riding, I am no longer going to be very pleasant when I encounter the brain dead idiots who insist on endangering my health.  Police chiefs in the beach cities are going to know my name.  All it would take is a little public education and the occasional ticket to make the beach safe for all users, on two wheels or none.

I’m still fuming about the lack of humanity shown by people.  Surely, they’re in a minority, or are they?

Make no mistake.

Pedestrians are the only class of road users more vulnerable than we are. And we need to go out of our way to protect their safety, especially when riding on sidewalks and through crosswalks, where they should have unquestioned right-of-way.

And yes, I’ve seen cyclists plow through a crowded crosswalk, seemingly oblivious to the harm they may cause. And a Santa Monica cyclist was recently convicted, fairly or not, of assault with a deadly weapon for doing just that.

But as Jim’s email suggests, we aren’t always the problem. And we are just as vulnerable to their carelessness as they are to ours.

One other point.

Had he been able to stop the woman, she could have been held liable for his injuries, just as a bicyclist can be held legally liable for injuring a pedestrian. Or another bike rider, for that matter.

But whether she could be charged with leaving the scene of a collision is a question I can’t answer.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Guest Columns, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities, Roadway Courtesy / Tags: , , , , , ,
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