Archive for bikinginla

Victims and driver identified in San Diego bike path collision; speed may have been a factor

June 2, 2011 / / 4 comments

One was a 40-year old father of two small children; the other is a 51-year old father of a college age son. One was an executive with a bioenergy company; the other is president and CEO of the YMCA in San Diego County.

One was a bike commuter on his way home; the other an avid triathlete who rides several times a week.

Both are married; neither one knew the other.

Yet yesterday, both men were the victims of a possibly speeding driver who lost control of her SUV and ended up flipping over on the bike path they were riding on.

Now bioenergy executive Nick Venuto of Poway is dead, while YMCA CEO Baron Hederlin-Doherty is in stable condition, his body shattered with broken hips, ribs and arms, according to the North County Times.

The San Diego Union Tribune’s SignOnSanDiego reports that 27-year old Sheena Saranita was driving her Ford Escape at an estimated 65 – 80 mph when she attempted to change lanes. She overreacted after seeing a vehicle in the right lane and went off the road, climbing the 15-foot embankment, blowing through a chainlink fence and flipping over onto the bike path; her SUV landed on its side, hitting both riders in the process.

Police don’t think drugs or alcohol were factors in the collision; no word on whether Saranita may have been texting or otherwise distracted behind the wheel. However, the nature of the collision would suggest that either excess speed or some sort of distraction could have been a factor.

According to the Union Tribune,

Dr. Dave Chotiner, a dentist from Carmel Valley, witnessed the accident and was the first to render aid. He said Venuto, who appeared to have been hit first, died within minutes. Herdelin-Doherty was lying on his back about 40 feet behind Venuto.

He said Saranita was out of her SUV near Venuto and was yelling hysterically, “you have to help him.”

Both papers feel compelled to report that the riders were each wearing helmets, despite the fact that bike helmets can’t, and were never intended to, protect against a multi-ton vehicle travelling at highway speeds.

And as Hederlin-Doherty’s injuries make clear, helmets can do absolutely nothing to protect against injuries to any other part of the body.

Don’t get me wrong.

I’m a firm believer in wearing a helmet every time I ride. But in a collision like this, they would have been of little, if any benefit.

And whether or not the victims were wearing them is truly irrelevant in this case.

My heart and prayers go out to the family, friends and loved ones of Nick Venuto, and best wishes to Baron Hederlin-Doherty for a full and fast recovery.

……..

On a related subject, I’ve received word from a source who doesn’t wish to be identified that cyclist Richard Lauwers is doing very well, back on his bike and is now a firm believer in the power or prayer. As you may recall, Lauwers was critically injured last January when a driver went off the road and hit him while he was riding on the Huntington Beach Bike Path; the driver, Glen M. Moore of Newport Beach, was allegedly intoxicated and racing a BMW driven by Michael D. Roach.

And a memorial will be held this Sunday for Nick Haverland, the 20-year old Ventura College student killed last month in an allegedly drunken roadway rampage. Driver Satnam Singh was reportedly  involved in three separate collisions in a matter of minutes, injuring five other people.

Update: Jim Lyle forwards some good news about Adam Rybicki, the cyclist critically injured when he was hit by an underaged, allegedly drunk driver in Torrance in April. While he has been unable to respond to verbal commands, he is now moving his hands and responding to commands and questions written on whiteboard. Clearly, he faces a long road back, but this is the first news that offers real hope for his recovery.

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

Winner(s) announced in our free River Ride contest; last day for online discount

June 1, 2011 / / Comments Off on Winner(s) announced in our free River Ride contest; last day for online discount

How about a little good news for a change?

Over the weekend, the staff of the LACBC’s 11th Annual L.A. River Ride narrowed the list of contestants to win a free entry to this Sunday’s event to just two finalists.

Then couldn’t decide between the two.

So they asked if I’d mind if we just declared a tie and gave the prize to both. Yeah, like I’m going to object to a little extra generosity for my readers.

So congratulations to Shalimar Gonzales, who recently moved to L.A. and wants to use the River Ride to make new friends and push herself to finish her first long distance ride. And to personal trainer and inspirational writer Jason Johnson, who wants to inspire others to fulfill their dreams and become the best version of themselves.

Both of you will receive a certificate for a free River Ride entry by email within the next day or so; just print that out an bring it to the River Ride on Sunday with your ID to receive your free ride.

And thanks to everyone who entered. Even though you didn’t win, you can still save $10 by registering online with special discount code TEDBC11(case sensitive), exclusively for BikingInLA readers.

But don’t wait — online registration ends today!

………

Speaking of the Bike Coalition, the LACBC’s Allison Mannos and Adrian Leung draw a connection on Streestblog between bicycling in developing countries and low-income cyclists of color in the U.S. Definitely worth a read.

………

No updates yet on last night’s freak collision that took the life of one cyclist and seriously injured another when an SUV ran off a San Diego Freeway and flipped over onto an off-road bike path. More news when it becomes available.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

San Diego cyclist killed, another seriously injured when SUV flips onto bike path

May 31, 2011 / / 2 comments

At least one cyclist was killed and another seriously injured when an SUV lost control on busy highway and flipped onto a bike path near Rancho Peñasquitos in north San Diego.

Initial reports indicated that two cyclists had died at the scene; however, later reports said the second rider had been transported to Scripps La Jolla Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The collision occurred about 6:20 pm on the 56 Bike Trail, which runs parallel to the eastbound side of State Route 56 west of Black Mountain Road; the CHP called for a coroner less than 25 minutes later.

A woman driving an SUV on eastbound SR56 apparently lost control while making a lane change, went off the road, up a grassy embankment and through a chainlink fence before flipping over onto a group of riders.

According to SignOnSanDiego, both riders were in their 30s or 40s; neither has been publicly identified as of this time. Pedestrians and other cyclists reportedly attempted to aid the riders until paramedics arrived.

The driver was also taken to the hospital; reports disagree on whether anyone else was in the SUV. No explanation has been given for why she lost control of her vehicle.

There’s simply no way to protect against a collision like that. The riders should have been safe from motor vehicles on an off-road bike path; undoubtedly, they thought they were. Certainly no one expected a vehicle to fall onto a bike path — let alone at the exact moment a group of riders are passing by.

SignOnSanDiego reports that both riders were wearing helmets; if anyone ever invents a helmet strong enough to protect against an SUV falling on top of a cyclist, I hope they let us all know.

This is the 32nd cycling death so far this year, and the ninth in San Diego County since the first of the year, which includes 7 traffic deaths and one shooting.

That compares with 8 cycling deaths for all of last year for San Diego County, and an average of 6.8 over the last five years, according to the FARS database maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Thanks to Eric Bruins for the heads-up.

Update:  The Times now reports that two cyclists have been injured, in addition to the rider who died at the scene; however, they still say just one rider was hospitalized, in addition to the driver.

Update: as of 9 am Wednesday, no other source has confirmed that report, and the Times has changed the wording of the story to remove any reference to a second injured rider.

Update: both victims and the driver have been identified; speeding may have been a factor in the collision.

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

Run over by a riding mower, near-killer PV speed bumps to stay

May 31, 2011 / / 9 comments

As some of you may know, my oldest brother runs a dog team up in the Anchorage area, competing in the famed Iditarod sled dog race four times, and finishing three.

The other left him and his team huddled in a shelter in subzero temperatures, waiting for rescue with a broken sled — not to mention a broken leg, frostbite and a bruised shoulder.

The dogs were just fine, though.

So maybe he was in the market for a safer form of transportation, or one that works a little better once the snow melts. Or maybe, like the rest of us, he was just trying to save a little with the current sky high price of gas.

Regardless, my brother, Eric O. Rogers — perhaps the only particle physicist and dog musher on the planet — has now officially joined the ranks of bike riders.

And promptly gotten himself run over.

By a riding mower.

It seems he rode his bike to the local Lowes home improvement store, and stopped in the parking lot to ask an employee where he could find a bike rack. And as he was stopped on his bike, he was hit by man on a riding lawnmower.

Fortunately, the mower wasn’t in use at the time, and he escaped with nothing more than a little road rash.

And I’m sure you already know the answer to the question that nearly got him turned into mulch.

Lowes, at least that one, doesn’t have bike racks.

………

In a decision that defies common sense, the City Council of Palos Verdes Estates has voted to keep the speed bumps that nearly killed cyclist Richard Schlickman.

As you may recall, Schlickman was critically injured when he hit the newly installed speed bumps — excuse me, speed cushions — while riding downhill at speed, with little or no warning to cyclists that they had been built on a popular riding route. He had been riding downhill at speed when he hit the bumps, sliding nearly 80 feet down the roadway before coming to a stop; fortunately, word is he continues to make slow but steady improvement from what could have been a fatal fall.

But rather than remove or replace the potentially killer cushions, the council inexplicably voted to keep them in place.

Evidently, they haven’t yet crippled or killed enough cyclists in their effort to tame local traffic. Maybe someone should tell them there are alternative methods to calm traffic that don’t put riders lives at risk.

I hope PVE has a good lawyer.

Thanks to Jim Lyle for the heads-up.

………

Hap Dougherty shares another great set of cycling photos. This time, it’s a Memorial Day ride that took him from Westwood’s Los Angeles National Cemetery, throughout the Westside and up the L.A. River Bike Path — home to this weekend’s L.A. River Ride.

It does make you wonder why the cemetery insists on banning bikes, when so many riders just want to pay their respects.

Myself included.

………

Over the weekend I found myself drawn into a discussion on the West Seattle Blog, possibly the nation’s leading hyperlocal news site — sorry Patch — managed by a couple of longtime friends.

One of their readers was shocked and offended to see a cyclist towing his child in a bike trailer, assuming imminent danger — if not death — for the parentally neglected kid.

Problem is, while motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for children, few, if any, of those deaths result from collisions with bicycle trailers. In terms of sheer numbers, children are at far greater risk riding in a car with their parents, or simply walking on the sidewalk.

One of the writers tried to make the point that even if just one child was killed as a result of riding in a bike trailer, it would be one too many — especially if it was your child.

That conveniently ignores the nearly 7,000 or more passengers killed in motor vehicle collisions each year — many of them children. As well as the more than 4,000 pedestrians of all ages killed every year. Each of whom was someone’s child.

So rather than getting up in arms over a potential, hypothetical danger, we should be concerned about the proven risk posed by careless, aggressive, intoxicated or distracted drivers, who kill over 33,000 people on American streets every year — including a minimum of 630 cyclists.

Sadly, there are none so blind as those who cannot see through the glare of their own windshields.

……..

Finally, thanks to Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious for stopping by to say hi as he passed through town over the weekend, along with his lovely family. It was a true pleasure to finally meet someone I’ve only traded emails with, and who’s work I have always enjoyed and admired.

And while I neglected to take any pictures, he did capture great shot of the new intern, who has been helping more than she knows by sleeping behind the sofa this morning and allowing me to work uninterrupted for a change.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, General / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Valencia sentencing delayed, upcoming events and a little light reading for your holiday weekend

May 28, 2011 / / Comments Off on Valencia sentencing delayed, upcoming events and a little light reading for your holiday weekend

Dj Wheels reports that yesterday’s scheduled sentencing for Marco Antonio Valencia in the drunken and stoned hit-and-run death of cyclist Joseph Novotny has been delayed until next month.

The defense has challenged Valencia’s conviction based on a charge of juror misconduct. As a result, the judge has continued sentencing until June 28th, when he will rule on the defense motion: if he denies the motion, sentencing will take place on the spot, if not, there is a possibility of a retrial in the case.

Despite the delay, the judge allowed Novotny’s widow and family to give their victim impact statements for the record. Wheels reports that each one spoke movingly about the deep sadness that resulted from his death, as well as his kind and unselfish nature; Novotny’s mother also offered photos of Joseph to Valencia’s family.

………

A blogging caregiver discusses how to keep new drivers safe, reminding parents of something that will resonate with many cyclists:

New drivers must realize that a car is a dangerous weapon and it is critical that they focus on their driving and be cognizant of everything around them.

Most not-so-new drivers could use the same reminder, as well.

Thanks to Stanley Goldich for the heads-up.

………

In Giro d’Italia news, the erotically named Eros Capecchi wins Stage 18, while Paolo Tiralongo wins Stage 19 as race leader Alberto Contador declines to contest the finish against his former teammate.

Speaking of Contador, his appeal hearing on doping charges has been delayed, and probably won’t be concluded until after the Tour de France. Which means if he wins yet another victory this year, it could be invalidated afterwards — if he’s even allowed to compete with the cloud hanging over his head.

Meanwhile, the Atlantic says it’s impossible to separate the doping accused Lance from the anti-cancer do-gooder; the Times’ Bill Dwyre is troubled that more people aren’t troubled.

………

The holiday weekend is a little quiet on the local bike scene, but a lot of events wait just down the road.

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

San Gabriel Valley riders can meet for a Memorial Day Weekend “What-the-Heck” ride on Sunday, May 29th; meet at Granada Park near Fremont Ave and Montezuma Ave in Alhambra at 9 am, with the ride rolling at 9:30.

Santa Monica hosts Bike It! Day on Wednesday, June 1st, to encourage local students to bike and walk to school.

Saturday, June 4th, the Palms Neighborhood Council and the LAPD’s Pacific Division is sponsoring the 2011 Bike Rodeo from 10 am to 2 pm at Palms Elementary School, 3520 Motor Ave; events include a bike safety course, safety inspection, radar speed test and a bike giveaway, as well as live entertainment and free food.

Folk Art Everywhere explores the historic West Adams District on their next bike tour on Saturday, June 4th; expect an easy, fun and fascinating ride perfect for beginning to moderate cyclists. Meet at Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Avenue in Los Angeles, at 11 am, with the ride starting at 11:15.

Flying Pigeon hosts their monthly Brewery Ride on Saturday, June 4th from 3 to 5:30 pm, followed by the Spoke(n) Art Ride on Saturday, June 11 and the Get Sum Dim Sum Ride on Sunday, June 19th. All rides meet at Flying Pigeon Bike Shop, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park.

Join me, and thousands of other cyclists at L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride on Sunday, June 5th with the 11th Annual River Ride; advance registration is open through Wednesday the 1st; use special discount code TEDBC11 (case sensitive) to get a $10 discount on online registration courtesy of BikingInLA. Volunteers are still needed, and based on my experience last year, it’s about as much fun as you can have without actually riding; email RRvolunteer@la-bike.org for more info and to sign up.

If you can make it up to Sacramento on Sunday, June 12th, Ride4Matt is sponsoring a charity ride to benefit Matthew Wietrick, who was seriously injured while riding last February. Choose from routes of 10, 35 and 70 miles, with a $7 BBQ lunch after the ride; donations gratefully accepted.

Also on Sunday, June 12th, Flying Pigeon is hosting an evening with Yves Engler and Bianca Mugyenyi, authors of “Stop Signs: Cars and Capitalism on the Road to Economic, Social and Ecological Decay.” It takes place beginning at 7 pm at Flying Pigeon, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park.

Flying Pigeon Bike Shop will host a fundraising bike ride and party to benefit Streetsblog LA on Friday, June 17th, beginning and ending at Flying Pigeon, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park; ride meets at 6 pm, with party to follow at 8 pm.

The July 10th CicLAvia has been cancelled, but the October 9th event is a definite go, with an expanded route taking participants another 2.5 miles into Boyle Heights.

Tuesday, August 30th, Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse will host a benefit night for Streetsblog LA; 5% of all food and drink purchases will benefit Streetsblog; 2911 Main Street.

And mark your calendar for the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat on October 9th; you’d think someone in the scheduling department would have noticed that the 9th is Yom Kippur this year.

………

Austin Nichols meets the Queen Mary in the LACBC’s third River Ride promo. Two-wheeled sight seeing tour company Bike and Hikes LA opens a West Hollywood storefront. A Santa Clara University professor is seriously injured in a classic left cross collision, while the local paper blames the victim. A 75-year old Corning cyclist is killed after riding through a stop sign into oncoming traffic — just two doors from his own home. Another unidentified cyclist is killed in Tulare County — the driver claims he just didn’t see him, but doesn’t explain why he was driving on the shoulder; thanks to Danny Gamboa for the link. San Francisco’s first bike lane celebrates it’s 40th birthday.

As gas prices increase ridership, lawmakers continue to gut bike programs. Good busts popular myths about biking. A Tucson-area cyclist develops a one-ear ear pod that funnels your full iPod output into a single channel. Colorado National Monument celebrates it’s 100th birthday by denying the new USA Pro Cycling Challenge a permit to follow the Tour of the Moon course made famous by the late Coors Classic. Kansas becomes the 14th state to require interlock devices for drunk drivers; something we seem to desperately need here. Chicago talks about protected bike lanes. New York cyclists prepare a class action lawsuit in response to the NYPD’s heavy-handed crackdown. The anti-bike bikelash spreads to Philadelphia; Stanley Goldich reminds us about Bob Mionske’s insightful look at the subject.

Toronto’s new mayor seems to like bike lanes, as long as they don’t get slow down cars. Three years later, British authorities decline to file charges in the death of a 17-year old cyclist; and I thought our justice system was slow. Czech artists develop another DIY bike lane that’s projected in front of you as you ride. Cape Town, South Africa is named one of the world’s 15 most bike-friendly cities; from what I’ve read, the rest of the country has a long way to go. Jakarta cyclists turn out for the official opening of the city’s first bike lane.

Finally, a British rider barely avoids becoming the meat in a bus sandwich. And apparently, my 15 minutes of fame has extended into a blind Bike Snob link; by my calculation, that leaves about 12 minutes and 37 seconds left.

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

Wednesday’s ride, on which I got downtown faster and happier on two wheels than four. Or more.

May 26, 2011 / / 2 comments

I had a meeting downtown on Wednesday night.

That’s not unusual for me anymore. After years of seldom venturing east of LaBrea, I now find myself making the 12.5 mile trip from my home on the Westside to the newly vibrant Downtown L.A. on a nearly weekly basis. Sometimes several times a week.

More often than not, I make the trip by bike or bus, mostly due to a lack of what I would consider secure bike parking. While that situation is slowly improving, I’m still no more comfortable leaving my bike on the street than I would be locking my laptop to a light pole.

Call me paranoid.

But at least it’s kept me from having to replace a bike after someone else rides off with it.

My old apartment was just off Santa Monica Blvd, making the 704 or 728 buses an easy and convenient option for me. The 728 offered an especially pleasant trip — at least compared to most other Metro buses — getting me from door to door in 45 minutes to an hour in most cases, with a minimum of discomfort.

Now that I’ve moved a few blocks away, it takes 25 minutes just to get to the 728. But I still prefer that to Wilshire Blvd’s 720 line, even though that’s just a couple blocks from where I am now.

The heavy congestion on Wilshire means that the same trip that takes less than an hour on the 728 can take up to an hour-and-a-half on the 720. And the abysmally pitted, pocked and potholed pavement on what was once L.A.’s glittering centerpiece boulevard virtually guarantees a jolting, stomach churning ride the entire way.

Which is why Wilshire needs a Bus Only Lane for the entire distance through Los Angeles, from the Santa Monica border to downtown.

And why I challenge Councilmembers Paul Koretz and Bill Rosendahl to ride the 720 to City Hall just once — and then try to justify excluding key Westside sections rather that taking a necessary step to improve transit for everyone.

And don’t forget that bikes are allowed to share bus lanes, which means a BOL the full length would result in new smooth pavement and a clearer traffic lane on a street that is virtually unridable now.

So I often find myself making the trip by car, much against my wishes.

Then again, that’s no piece of cake, either.

During the day, a trip downtown can take as little as 45 minutes; at rush hour, that balloons to a mind and butt numbing hour or more. Sometimes a lot more.

To drive all of 12.5 miles.

Then there’s the problems posed by L.A.’s notoriously impatient and aggressive drivers, making the simple act of driving seem like a game of bumper cars. And once I finally arrive, there’s the challenge of finding parking that won’t exceed my income for the previous week.

Fortunately, Wednesday’s meeting took place in a bike-friendly environment where I could take my bike safely inside.

So I made plans to ride with a friend, allowing enough time for a leisurely ride to the city center. But then complications arose, not the least of which was the need to walk the dog, who was impatiently nuzzling her leash with her legs metaphorically crossed, suggesting that waiting for my wife to get home to take her out might not be the best idea.

So I had to tell him to go ahead without me.

My friend, not the dog.

I briefly considered taking the car, but just couldn’t face the prospect of yet another commute from hell. Instead, I hopped on my bike for a solo ride downtown, leaving myself just over an hour to make the trip.

After taking side streets through the biking black hole of Beverly Hills, I found myself riding a relatively car-free route that lead from 8th Street, up to the future bike boulevard on 4th, then back down to 7th, which will soon feature bike lanes itself for most of it’s length.

Instead of the usually harrowing, traffic-choked commute by car — or the Third World conditions of the 720 bus — I enjoyed a pleasant, relaxing ride that had me feeling better and arriving in a far better mood than when I left.

And even had time to stop for coffee before going into my meeting.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a perfectly pleasant L.A. evening as we rode back on an Olympic Blvd nearly abandoned by the city’s drivers, with only one puddle-hidden pothole to mar the experience.

I wasn’t really wasn’t surprised by how fast, efficient and enjoyable it was to make the trip by bike, particularly compared to my other options.

But it was nice to be reminded once again.

………

KCET’s report on the changes coming to 7th Street suggests that the success of that project could have a lot to do with how quickly the city rolls out the rest of the new bike plan.

And unfortunately, their probably right.

But as @sam_ebnet astutely points out, that’s a bit like saying we’ll put the front wheel on a car, and if it drives well, we’ll put the other three on. Or building a freeway, and if it proves popular enough, adding the off-ramps later.

L.A.’s bike plan will only succeed when it’s seen as a system, rather than a series of independently planned projects. Both 4th Street and 7th are vital links in that system, and each will do much to make riding safer and more enjoyable.

But it is only when the entire network is built out, and cyclists can ride routes that actually connect with one another, that we’ll enjoy a truly ridable city.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

91-year old cyclist dies in Riverside

May 26, 2011 / / 6 comments

The Press-Enterprise reports that 91-year old Riverside resident Fred Walsh has died, eight days after he was hit by a pickup while riding his bike.

The collision occurred at 1:09 pm on Monday, May 16th on California Avenue just east of Rucker Lane in Riverside; he passed away from his injuries Tuesday night at Riverside Community Hospital.

No other information is available at this time.

It should be uplifting story that he was still riding at that age; instead, it’s just heartbreaking that his life was taken away. My deepest sympathy to Fred Walsh’s friends and family.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

Last day to enter for a free 2011 L.A. River Ride

May 26, 2011 / / Comments Off on Last day to enter for a free 2011 L.A. River Ride

After a slow start, more entries for our free L.A. River Ride giveaway are coming in. So don’t get left out. Just write out in 50 words or less why you should be the one to join in on L.A.’s favorite fundraising bike ride, and send it to ridetheriver2011@hotmail.com by midnight tonight, Thursday, May 26th.

The River Ride staff and volunteers will review the entries and pick a winner over the weekend. And there’s no reason why that couldn’t be you.

Just click here for more information.

Even if you don’t win, you can still save $10 on the 11th Annual Los Angeles River Ride by signing up online using the special discount code TEDBC11 (case sensitive) — exclusively for BikingInLA readers.

Category: General / Tags: ,

Legal update: DUI driver arraigned for injuring Adam Rybicki, Valencia sentencing today

May 25, 2011 / / 5 comments

These days, it seems like there are as many court cases involving cyclists than there are riders on the streets.

Fortunately, cyclist/attorney Dj Wheels has done his usual great job of keeping us up to date with the latest legal proceedings — including charges against the under-aged, allegedly intoxicated driver who ran down who hit Adam Rybicki head on, and Thursday’s sentencing for Marco Antonio Valencia, convicted in the hit-and-run DUI death of Joseph Novotny.

Editor’s Note: While Dj Wheels provided updates on these cases, any commentary or information beyond the actual status of the cases are mine. So blame me, not him.

Jaclyn Andrea Garcia:  Charges were filed May 19th at the Torrance Courthouse for the DUI collision that critically injured cyclist Adam Rybicki this past April. The Supervising Judge recused all the judges there from hearing the case, with no public explanation for his actions; however, rumor has it that Garcia’s mother is a court reporter in Torrance, which would explain the recusal.

As a result, arraignment was held Tuesday in Department 5 of the Inglewood Courthouse, Case #YA081126. Garcia’s attorney, George Bird, entered a plea of not guilty to all four counts:

1) CVC 23153(a) – DUI w/ injury
2) CVC 23153(b) – DUI w/ BAC over .08 and injury
3) CVC 23153(a) – DUI w/ injury
4) CVC 23153(b) – DUI w/ BAC over .08 and injury

Bird also informed the court on the record that his client has voluntarily surrendered her driver’s license, entered into a three-month alcohol program, voluntarily attended 18 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and has begun electronic alcohol monitoring with the SCRAM device made famous by Hollywood’s favorite outlaw.

Too bad it’s just a little too late.

Had Garcia sobered up a few months earlier, Adam Rybicki might not be in a coma right now, the victim of a 20-year old woman still drunk and behind the wheel at 7:15 in the morning.

And you can bet that none of the actions Garcia took in surrendering her license or entering rehab were her idea; it was no doubt ordered by her attorney in an attempt to show remorse and get his client released with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

After all, it’s worked for any number of Hollywood celebrities, whose first stop after hitting the tabloids is usually a stint in luxury rehab.

And by all accounts, Garcia’s high-priced attorney knows what he’s doing. Maybe if Dr. Thompson’s attorney had ordered him straight into rehab, he might be a free man today.

Let’s hope that the court takes this case seriously, and doesn’t let yet another driver buy her way out of taking responsibility.

Speaking of the infamous Good Doctor:

Dr. Christopher Thompson:  The date for oral arguments has been continued upon the court’s own motion in the appeal of Dr. Thompson’s conviction for intentionally injuring two cyclists in Mandeville Canyon by slamming on his brakes in front of them.  The new date is now 6/29/11.

Marco Antonio Valencia:  Valenica was convicted last month in the hit-and run DUI death of cyclist Joseph Novotny. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for today (Thursday) at the San Fernando Court; he faces up to 24 year to life in prison.

Shawn Fields:  Fields is charged with the hit-and-run DUI death of 17-year old cyclist Danny Marin in Pacoima last October. Fields reportedly told investigators that he thought he might have hit something, because he remembered seeing sparkly dust flying over him — from the windshield shattered by Marin’s body. Pretrial/Trial Setting Conference is scheduled for 6/22.

Patrick Roraff & Brett Morin:  Roraff and Morin are charged with causing the death of rising pro cyclist Jorge Alvarado in April of last year. The two were allegedly street racing when Roraff lost control and slammed into Alvarado, who was riding on the opposite shoulder. Pretrial conference is scheduled for 7/7.

Stephanie Drew Segal:  Segal is charged with the hit-and-run DUI death of cyclist James Laing in Agoura last year (notice a theme here?). She allegedly plowed into Laing after leaving a local wine tasting room, and entered into a rehab facility after her arrest. Preliminary setting is scheduled for 6/28; Wheels notes that the docket says the DA has been ordered to have victims present, which is unusual for this type of hearing.

Renato Demartino:  Demartino is charged with the hit-and-run death of 22-year old cyclist Marco Acuapan, who died in April, four months after he was allegedly hit by Demartino’s car while riding in a bike lane in Tustin. A pretrial conference scheduled for 6/1.

Danae Marie Miller:  Miller is charged with the death of world-class triathlete Amine Britel; she was allegedly drunk and texting when she rear-ended Britel, who was riding in a marked bike lane. Pretrial conference scheduled for 7/15.

Captain John David Hines:  Hines, a Long Beach Fire Captain, is accused of plowing into cyclist Jeffrey Gordon, then fleeing the scene, despite legal, and professional, obligations to stop and render aid. He had allegedly been drinking for hours in a local bar before getting behind the wheel, and had a BAC of .24 at the time of his arrest — three times the legal limit. And once again, he reportedly checked into rehab right after his arrest. Pretrial conference scheduled for 6/17.

Satnam Singh:  Singh is charged with killing 20-year old college student Nick Haverland in yet another hit-and-run DUI — this time, in a hit-and-run rampage involving three separate collisions in a matter of minutes that left five people injured and Haverland dead. Pretrial conference scheduled for 6/14; Singh remains in custody with the Ventura County Sheriff.

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

Collision maps reveal L.A.’s unsafe routes to school; more tragedy in pro cycling (and not just Lance)

May 24, 2011 / / 2 comments

I knew L.A. wasn’t the safest place to bike or ride.

But it never really sank in until I saw the maps.

Safe Routes to Schools has joined with the LACBC to call attention to just how far this city has to go before children to walk or bike to many schools, especially in lower income areas. New collision maps based on TIMS data (the Transportation Injury Mapping System) clearly shows how many injuries and fatalities occur near schools.

Just take a look at this map showing three years of collision data for South L.A. alone.

And I hope you have a stronger stomach than me when you realize that every dot on that map represents a human being injured or killed on our streets.

Of course, they weren’t all children. But these maps make the strongest argument yet that we have to improve safety around our schools.

“Traffic collisions, and the death or injury of Los Angeles’ people, especially our youngest community members, is heartbreaking and impacts everyone,” says Alexis Lantz, Planning and Policy Director at the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

While the city has recently allocated $1.2 million to develop a citywide strategy to provide safer routes for children and their parents to get to and from school — and anyone else who happens to ride or bike nearby — there’s clearly a lot to do.

And a long way to go.

“Now with the TIMS data, the State of California has provided an amazing tool that allows us to see the neighborhoods, intersections and streets of greatest need and make strategic investments.  We need the City to provide staff, and create a plan to implement safety improvements quickly, so we can see our transportation priorities shift.  For too long, there has been a focus on moving cars to the detriment of our health and communities, the City of Los Angeles needs to put safety and people first,” says Jessica Meaney, California Policy Manager, Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

I mean, seriously. Just look at the maps.

………

In pro cycling news, Movistar rider Xavier Tondo was killed in a freak accident when he was hit by a garage door while leaving for a ride; friends and fellow pros remember him. Conspiracy theorists may note that he had recently told authorities about being approached by a doping ring.

Mikel Nieve scores his second mountain stage win in the Giro, as Alberto Contador surges to more than a four minute lead leading up to Monday’s rest day before the final week of racing.

Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner cross the finish line atop Mt. Baldy at virtually the same time to clinch the Amgen Tour of California for Horner. The Claremont Cyclist spends the morning with Rabobank. What it’s like to ride the Mt. Baldy stage of the AToC. Horner wraps it up on Sunday as HTC rider Matthew Goss wins the final stage and Lance Armstrong’s Team RadioShack takes the first two places in the general classification. Bicycling offers video of post-race reactions, while the Daily News is too busy talking with fans to get the details straight.

Between Chris Horner’s exciting run and the race up Mt. Baldy, this is the first Tour of California that seemed, to me at least, like a legitimate contender as a top-tier cycling race. Now if they can add another challenging stage or two — like maybe a peak-to-peak route around the San Diego area ending with a climb up Mt. Palomar, where snow wouldn’t be a factor — they might have something. Although going head-to-head with the Giro will always be a limiting factor.

And in case you’ve been in a coma the past few days, CBS’ 60 Minutes reported that former friends and teammates of Lance Armstrong  have turned on him to accuse the seven time TdF champ of doping; no one seems to care that George Hincapie reportedly confessed, though. If the accusations against Lance Armstrong are proven, he faces serious jail time; at the very least, his reputation will be in tatters. Tyler Hamilton’s lawyer discusses why the rider finally came clean. Former pro Scott Mercier says doping was pervasive when he was racing in the ’90, and UCI responds with the expected shock and indignation.

A writer for Road.cc asks the same question a lot of riders are asking right now: what happens when your idol and inspiration lets you down? And Italian police reportedly find nothing in an impeccably timed raid on Team RadioSchack’s hotel at the Giro.

………

LACBC releases a great new video explaining the upcoming 7th Street road diet and bike lanes in your choice of three popular languages. Meanwhile, those new LED lights on the Elysian Valley section of the L.A. River Bike Path are out of order for the foreseeable future after thieves steal the copper wiring.

………

Streetsblog wants your questions for LAPD Sgt. David Krumer, the department’s popular point man for the cycling community. LADOT Bicycle Services unveils a nifty new website. L.A. bike attorney Howard Krepack argues that the safety of cyclists has to be considered during road work, as well. Richard Risemberg looks at the art of riding in Santa Monica. CicLAvia wants to know what you think about the proposed expansion routes into Boyle Heights and South L.A. The Times looks at some unusual bike designs. Santa Monica riders review that city’s proposed bike plan. The recent presidential visit gives a UCLA employee a chance to ride the Westside.

A reader corrects the Press-Enterprise for saying cyclists are required to ride as far right as possible; the writer insists that possible and practicable mean the same thing. A Fresno-area cyclist’s tragic death in a solo bike accident could help up to eight other people through organ donation; I’d want some good to come out of it for someone if anything ever happened to me. Surprisingly, California ranks 20th on the list of bike-friendly states; surprising we’re that high, that is.

USA Today notes a nationwide movement to make the streets safe for cyclists; thanks to Zeke for the heads-up. That great epiphany moment that turns non-cyclists into confirmed riders is a myth. Fifteen reasons to fall in love with your bike. Elly Blue continues her excellent Bikenomics series with a look at riding while broke. Evidently believing them to be magic talismans that will ward off injury, a writer calls bike helmets the most important safe cycling habit — above, say, stopping for traffic signals, remaining visible or riding with traffic, or any of the other riding habits that might keep a helmet from being necessary. A firefighter’s career could be over after a cycling hit-and-run. New Jersey authorities seem unclear on the concept, as they instruct riders to share the road with fast moving traffic, rather than requiring speeding drivers to slow down; it may be time to retire Share the Road entirely. A New York actor and personal therapist explains why he’ll be riding the 10th Anniversary AIDS Ride. In a classic example of press bias, an 11-year old West Virginia boy is sideswiped while riding his bike, yet the local press reports that he collided with the car; thankfully, they note the car was not damaged.

The return of bike season means the return of road rage. Buy a Victorian London house, and get your very own bike museum. Police tell cyclists to stay off the 2012 Olympic mountain bike course. Scott cyclists pay to ride a new freeway for just one day, though not all do it to celebrate. This is what bike parking is supposed to look like; a Brit company tweets to take credit. A video look at the Pillars of Italian Cycling. How about a Norwegian-style bike lift? Jakarta gets its first bike lane, which immediately turns into parking for three-wheeled pedicabs.

Finally, video captures a cyclist getting by a car, and landing on his feet. And apparently, the solution to dropping off a bike and still getting back home is to throw your Dahon on the back of your Urbana — sort of like tossing a Mini in the back of a Hummer.

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