Archive for Advocacy & Politics

Save a life, right now. In fact, save hundreds.

April 19, 2011 / / 5 comments

It’s not every day you get a chance to save a life.

But that’s exactly what you can do in the next few minutes. Without moving from wherever you are right now.

Chances are, you’ll never know when it happens.

It could be a young child who doesn’t get hit by a car on her way to school, thanks to a safe crosswalk on a dangerous intersection. Or one who doesn’t develop diabetes or other obesity-related illnesses because he can to safely ride his bike in his own neighborhood.

Or it could be you, benefitting from the same improvements that help keep countless area children and their parents safe as they walk or bike to and from school.

In fact, the life you save could be virtually anyone, and everyone. And all you have to do is take a few moments right now to endorse the Southern California Regional Platform developed by Safe Routes to School California.

I’m not asking you to do anything I wouldn’t do. In fact, you’ll find me right here, along with other names you may recognize, representing people and groups throughout the area.

They’re out to get 75 endorsements by May15th. Personally, I think we can do a lot better than that. I’d like to see at least 75 endorsements by the end of this week. And a few hundred more by the May 15th deadline.

If even just a fraction of the people who visit this blog every day sign up, we can easily meet that goal. And make a real difference in the health and safety of children and adults throughout Southern California.

So if you bike or walk in Los Angeles — or care about children who do — stop whatever you’re doing and take just a couple minutes to click this link and endorse the Safe Routes to School platform.

Please.

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Speaking of Safe Routes to Schools, the Santa Monica chapter says there’s a big, gaping Trench of Doom blocking access for students at Santa Monica High. Evidently, there used to be a pedestrian and bike bridge over the Santa Monica freeway, which — despite what one councilmember recalls — was removed to make room for a new off ramp.

And they want it back.

Although personally, I think a park would be a better option there.

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Here’s the next bike book I want to read. Olympic medalist and TdF stage winner Davis Phinney writes about his riding career and battle to overcome Parkinson’s disease, as well as raising a rising pro riding phenom in his son Taylor.

Phinney used to lead rides around Denver and Boulder with his wife, fellow Olympian Connie Carpenter, that I fell in with on more than one occasion. So I like to say I’ve ridden with them — even though he probably never knew I was there at the end of the pack.

He’s also one of the few people I’ve never heard anyone say a single negative word about.

.………

Still no charges in the hit-and-run death of Encino endurance cyclist Jim Swarzman; a sheriff’s spokesman confirms that alcohol may have been a factor, as many people have speculated.

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A Topeka, Kansas lawyer has his license suspended after pleading No Contest in the DUI death of a local cyclist. Blood tests showed he had a .12 BAC, as well as marijuana, a “narcotic-like pain reliever” and an antidepressant in his system — and was driving in that state with his own son in his car. It was his 4th DUI since 1989, and third since 2000. Thanks to Stanley Goldich for the heads-up.

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Zev talks bikes and trains, or more precisely, bikes on trains. Although rumor has it that Metro’s commitment to put bikes back on trains may not be as strong as they suggest, so Thursday’s meeting of the Metro Board’s Operations Committee could turn out to be important.

There also may be some pushback on plans to remove seats to make room for bikes, as well as strollers, shopping and suitcases, all of which can block doorways and turn into projectiles if left in aisles.

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If you’re 12 -18, you can earn a bike at Bicycle Kitchen; if you’re too old for that, join the volunteers at Bikerowave. LACBC offers flyers explaining the upcoming road diet on Downtown’s 7th Street. Streetfilms looks back at the recent CicLAvia. Cynergy Cycles is offering an introduction to cycling lecture on Wednesday, and will soon feature a blog of their own. KPCC reports on how to get a bike lane or corral on your street. LADOT Bike Blog examines the long history behind the recently opened Elysian Valley segment of the L.A. River Bike Path. The Source looks forward to next month’s Bike to Work Week. L.A. Creek Freak suggests a visit to the double parentheses of Burbank’s Lake-Providencia Bridge. Bikeside’s Mihai Peteu calls for better — aka separated — bike lanes; Long Beach officially opens theirs on Saturday. The Long Beach City Council takes up the cause of naming the bike paths on the new replacement for the Gerald Desmond bridge for late bike advocate Mark Bixby. Bike and dine at a discount on Earth Day in Long Beach. San Diego magazine looks at the rise of citizen cyclists. The Golden Gate Bridge considers a 10 mph speed limit — and a ban on tall bikes and unicycles. The Art of the Group ride looks at the recent list of bike friendly universities, and concludes that smart people ride bikes.

The Economist says distracted driving is the new drunk driving. Green bikeways finally receive preliminary approval from the Feds. Bicycling interviews cycling actress Monica Raymond of Lie To Me. A woman fantasizes about fighting back when she gets right hooked. Vulnerable user laws gain speed across the country. Apparently, a Portland coffee shop doesn’t love cyclists anymore. Motor-centric Indianapolis will add 33 miles of bike lanes this year alone. A Kentucky jury gets it, as they sentence a drunk driver to 35 years for the death of an 11-year old bike rider. Listen my children and you shall hear of bike routes that follow the midnight ride of Paul Revere. A commenter deftly dismantles the NY Posts latest anti-bike diatribe, while BikeNYC offers photographic proof that the city’s traffic-clogged streets are just a myth, and are actually occupied only by bike riders. Robin Williams gets stopped as part of NYC’s bike crackdown, while talk show host Chelsea Handler reportedly finds dead cyclists amusing. The New York Times discovers Japan’s post-earthquake bike boom. A Virginia campaign urges drivers to be bike friendly. NASCAR driver and cyclist Bobby Labonte is hosting a Share the Road Memorial Ride in North Carolina this weekend to honor fallen cyclists; thanks to Todd Munson for the heads up.

A stabbing victim feels police don’t care, comparing it to reporting a stolen bike; now that hurts. A writer takes the UK’s Automobile Association to task for their recent bike helmet and hi-vis vest handout, rather than focusing on dangerous drivers. London cyclists complain about the city’s ghost bike lanes. Everyone cycles in Antwerp. Pro teams walk out on a meeting with UCI President McQuaid in a dispute over race radios. Plans to remove parking spaces to put in bike lanes have Tel Aviv residents up in arms, who see it as an attempt to turn the city over to the rich; evidently, poor people must not ride bikes in Israel. Pietro Ferrero, CEO of the company that brings you Nutella and Ferrero Rocher died after falling from his bike in South Africa. Philippine cyclists campaign for cleaner air.

Finally, a 72-year old Aussie cyclist says red lights are a bloody hindrance. Maybe he’d like the new brakeless bike from Target, although he may need the Army’s new Kevlar bike shorts if he keeps running them.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety / Tags: , , , ,

Northridge West NC tables ridiculous $150 licensing proposal after no one speaks in favor of it

April 13, 2011 / / 7 comments

L.A. Bicycle Advisory Vice Chair Glenn Bailey reports on the absurdly punitive proposal to charge cyclists a $150 annual licensing fee, which was tabled on a technicality in the middle of debate at last night’s Northridge West Neighborhood Council meeting.

According to Bailey, not one person spoke in favor of the proposal — including the author of the proposal, who was sitting in the audience.

A proposal to charge $150 annual bicycle “license” fee was abruptly tabled last night in the middle of public comment being heard by the Northridge West Neighborhood Council board.

After several cyclist stakeholders made comments strongly opposing the measure, NWNC President Tom Johnson announced the item would be tabled because “the motion needs to be presented by a Board member” and that it was an “oversight” that it was placed on the agenda.  Johnson asked the remaining speakers to “save it for a month” but that was objected to and comments continued.

Residents, stakeholders, and cyclists unanimously spoke against the proposal, listed on the agenda as 13v. Motion: NWNC Requests LA City to Encourage Bicycle Violator Citations and Reinstitute Bicycle Licensing (Bicycle license fees must be at least $150 per year to reflect their shared responsibility for the cost of maintaining the roads and their safe use).

The measure was repeatedly called “ridiculous” in that it would “become a barrier” to cycling and thereby hurt public health and the environment.

Glenn Bailey, vice-chair of the City’s Bicycle Advisory Committee reviewed the reasons the City repealed its previous licensing ordinance two years ago and told the board that “we should be encouraging, not discouraging, cycling.”

He asked the board not to “waste any more of our time” by giving any further consideration to the proposal, which speakers pointed out was in violation of the California Vehicle Code.

NWNC stakeholder Ron Wengler, whose name was on the agenda as proposing the motion, was in the audience but did not speak in favor of the item.  In fact, no one did.

The 93 Neighborhood Councils in the City of Los Angeles are advisory bodies established under the City Charter and are governed by boards elected by the stakeholders within the boundaries of each NC.

Although many emails were sent prior to the meeting, additional comments may be directed to all NWNC board members by emailing board@northridgewest.org

As Glenn points out, the proposal is ridiculous — and illegal — on its face, and should be dead on arrival, with no attempt to revive it at the next meeting.

And writing for Cyclelicious, Richard Masoner artfully eviscerates Wengler’s proposal, and warns him to be careful what he wishes for, because he just might get it.

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

A “Modest” Proposal: $150 Bicycle License Fee? That’s What Up In Northridge Tonight

April 12, 2011 / / 29 comments

I received the following email this morning from BAC Vice Chair Glenn Bailey, and think it’s important enough that I’m reposting it in it’s entirety.

In 1729, Jonathan Swift wrote his essay: A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland From Being a Burden to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Public.

Tonight in Los Angeles 282 years later, the Northridge West Neighborhood Council is considering a “modest” proposal of its own:

13v. Motion: NWNC Requests LA City to Encourage Bicycle Violator Citations and Reinstitute Bicycle Licensing (Bicycle license fees must be at least $150 per year to reflect their shared responsibility for the cost of maintaining the roads and their safe use).

$150 cost per bicycle to maintain roads?  Really?  How many potholes have bicycles created?  None.

Although they are confusing licensing (a person) with registration (a vehicle/bicycle), this is clearly an anti-bicycle proposal.  In fact, many motor vehicles on the road today are not charged fees this high!

Help defeat this outrageous proposal by attending and speaking up at tonight’s meeting:

Northridge West Neighborhood Council
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 7:00 PM
Beckford Elementary School

19130 Tulsa Street, Northridge, CA 91326

This item is 13v; the full agenda may be viewed at:  http://www.northridgewest.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/NWNC-April-2011-Agenda.pdf

If you are unable to attend tonight’s meeting, please consider sending an email IN YOUR OWN WORDS to the NWNC board expressing how you feel about this “modest” proposal:  board@northridgewest.org

Thank you for your support of bicycling….and bicyclists…..in Los Angeles.

Glenn Bailey, Vice-Chair
Bicycle Advisory Committee
City of Los Angeles

Of course, this proposal is outrageous, and clearly not intended to regulate cycling, but to force the overwhelming majority of riders off the road.

At $150 dollars, it’s significantly more than I pay to license may car — which actually does cause damage to the road, as well as contributing to traffic congestion and air pollution. And, unlike my bike, poses significant risk to other people if I operate it carelessly.

A careless driver is a danger to everyone around him, while even the most reckless cyclist is primarily a danger to him or her self.

As for that well worn out and blatantly false claim that cyclists don’t pay our share of the road, the fact is that it’s drivers who don’t pay their full share for the roads they use. And all taxpayers — you, me and everyone you see on the road today, in or out of cars — make up the difference.

How about a counter motion requesting a$150 rebate for everyone who agrees to ride a bike instead of contributing to L.A.’s massive gridlock?

Because we’re not the ones slowing down traffic, clogging the streets and damaging the roads. Take every bike in Los Angeles off the roads, and traffic wouldn’t improve at all. But remove just a fraction of the motor vehicles, and traffic improves instantly, as anyone who has ever driven on even a modestly observed legal or religious holiday has already seen.

I won’t be at that meeting tonight.

But I won’t leave the house today until I’ve emailed the Northridge West Neighborhood Council to express my disgust and anger at this outrageously punitive motion.

And I hope you will join me in flooding their inbox with emails demanding fair treatment for cyclists, and recognition that it’s driver, not bike riders, that cause the problems.

Category: Advocacy & Politics / Tags: , ,

Yet another L.A. bikeway fail; CHP steps up to catch a hit-and-run driver

March 31, 2011 / / 6 comments

Los Angeles recently approved a widely praised bike plan; now the county is holding a series of workshops on their new plan.

And countless other cities around the greater L.A. area are currently somewhere in the development or approval process on plans of their own. Yet one thing that often seems to be forgotten is the need to maintain those bikeways once they’re built.

We’ve discussed it before, from Westwood’s long abandoned and barely ridable bike path, to bikeways blocked by everything from sand to trash cans.

Yesterday, Margaret Wehbi copied me on an email she sent to County Bikeway Coordinator Abu Yusuf, complaining about the condition of bike lanes on Imperial Highway just south of LAX.

In it, Webhi describes her typical ride, in which she pedals up the beachfront Marvin Braude bikeway from Manhattan Beach to Dockweiler, then heads east on the bike lane along Imperial Highway.

And that’s where the problem starts.

Aside from the same broken and pitted pavement faced by riders throughout the L.A. area, she reports that the lane has never been swept, resulting in lots of broken glass, as well as ice plant growing into the bike lane.

Then there’s this:

As you can see, sand has washed out from the embankment onto the bike lane, blocking it entirely and forcing riders out into often unforgiving traffic. According to Wehbi, it’s not a new problem; the photo she took in January would look the same as one taken today — and the same as it would have last year.

Yet it wouldn’t take much to fix the problem.

Just a few scoops from a front loader, and a passby from a street sweeper — making sure to move all the way to the right to get the full bike lane, rather than just cleaning the motor vehicle lanes and leaving cyclists on their own. Then doing it again on a semi-regular basis to keep it that way.

My experience working with Yusuf tells me he’s one of the good ones — an all-too-rare government official who genuinely cares and is committed to doing what he can to improve bicycling in the county. Even if he is sometimes hamstrung by limited budgets and government bureaucracy.

Unfortunately, though, the problem isn’t in his jurisdiction. As I was writing this, I received a response from Yusuf indicating that he had forwarded Webhi’s email to Tim Fremaux and Nate Baird at LADOT Bicycle Services.

Hopefully, they can track down whoever is responsible for not maintaining the bike path into its present condition.

And that’s a big part of the problem, because it’s often almost impossible to discover who is responsible for any given street in the jumbled mishmash of city and county jurisdictions that make up the greater L.A. area. Webhi reports being bounced from the City of El Segundo, to the City of Los Angeles, to L.A. County, and now back to the city in a so far vain attempt to get someone, anyone, to just fix it, already.

But it also serves as a reminder to all of us.

It doesn’t matter what’s in the bike plan, or how many bike paths, lanes and bike friendly streets end up being built, if we can’t ride the ones we’ve got.

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I can’t say I’m always a fan of the California Highway Patrol’s investigation of bicycle collisions.

Too often, they’ve appeared to show a bias against cyclists, concluding that we’re at fault in most wrecks involving cyclists.

Even though many other authorities disagree with that conclusion.

Of course, who is at fault too often depends on who is investigating, and the quality of training they received.

However, Lois points us to a recent case in which the CHP appears to have gotten it right, and went out of their way to capture a hit-and-run driver.

A writer on the SoCal Trail Riders forum related the story of a recent hit-and-run in which he was rear-ended by a passing car on Live Oak Canyon Road near Cooks Corner. At first he thought the car clipped his bike beneath the seat. But once he got home and removed his bike shorts, he discovered the clear imprint of a car mirror on his ass.

And as it turned out, the mirror from a gold Nissan was left at the scene after the driver fled.

The CHP arrived, took the report and collected the mirror.

But rather than just file it away, as too often happens when a rider isn’t seriously injured, the CHP officer who took the report went back the next day to look for the driver. And just happened to spot a gold Infinity — made by Nissan — which was missing its right mirror.

Of course, the driver denied any knowledge of hitting a cyclist, claiming that he had been in a collision with an unidentified truck the previous day. But all the authorities have to do to make their case is to match the mirror to the car, and match the bruise on the rider’s butt to the mirror.

Case closed.

The cyclist reports that the officer will be forwarding details to the DA. And that he’s now a big fan of the CHP.

.………

Just a few more quick notes:

A new organization claims to represent the Beleaguered British Driver, politely and automatically  — if involuntarily — enrolling all 30,000,000 of the nation’s drivers. And claims that politicians who support cycling are mentally ill, offering as proof the “fact” that riding a bike requires putting “oneself in the path of rather heavy fast moving machinery,” and asks “Would any sane and right minded person do that?”

The RACF has really commissioned an anti car anti driver report and that is because there is no level playing field. Cycling is done by a tiny minority RACF. Whereas everyone depends on the 30 million drivers of this country and the economy would collapse without them, no-one would miss cyclists at all. The push bike is a political menace simply because any politician who rides one is in a minority and as I have demonstrated, has to be mad.

Someone seems crazy alright. But something tells me it’s not the ones he’s complaining about.

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The UCLA Bicycle Academy points out that the school may have been honored as a Bike Friendly University, but there’s still a lot of work to do. And invites you to join them tomorrow at their monthly lunchtime meeting.

And in light of yesterday’s post touching on the Mary Poppins Effect, Travelin’ Local’s Lisa Newton forwards a link to an older study showing a blonde wig could do more to keep you safe than a helmet.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bikes & the Law, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , ,

A fitting tribute to Mark Bixby, and biking’s (not so) obvious appeal to fiscal conservatives

March 21, 2011 / / 2 comments

More on the death of Long Beach bike activist Mark Bixby and four others in a fiery Long Beach plan crash last week.

Long Beach bike lane opponent Doug Krikorian recalls friendly disputes with Bixby, while Charlie Gandy remembers bike advocate Mark Bixby’s work on the city’s iconic Penny Farthing sculpture. And LACBC co-founder Ron Milam remembers his single meeting with Bixby.

His family asks that donations be made in lieu of food or flowers, while a public Mark Bixby Celebration of Life is planned for 10 am on Friday, Mark 25th.

Personally, I think it would be fitting to name the new replacement for the Gerald Desmond bridge in Bixby’s honor, since he fought so hard — and so successfully — to get separated bike lanes on it.

Meanwhile, the lone survivor of the plane crash continues to make progress, as Mike Jensen recovers from 2nd degree burns on his back and legs.

.………

Writing for Commute by Bike, conservative bike advocate Tom Bowden points out that every dollar spent on properly designed bike infrastructure can ultimately defund $10 in automotive infrastructure.

And he nails it when he writes —

As long as we keep on putting so much emphasis on helmets as the most important safety issue, we perpetuate the myth that cycling is inherently dangerous. Cycling is not inherently dangerous, cars are inherently dangerous to cyclists, pedestrians and motorists. But all this helmet focus does is place the responsibility for safety on cyclists, rather than on the root cause of the problem, which is unsafe driving.

As Bowden points out, when you look at it rationally, biking isn’t a liberal or conservative issue.

Bicycling offers a common sense solution to many of the problems we face, from over-crowded streets to high gas prices. And rather than the wasteful spending some conservatives would suggest, spending on cycling and bike projects can provide benefits that far outweigh their nominal costs.

As Portland’s mayor points out, Portland’s entire biking infrastructure cost as much to build as just a single mile of freeway construction. Let alone what it costs to put a car pool lane on the 405 through Sepulveda Pass.

There was a time when I called myself a conservative, until the political winds shifted far right of where I stood. But even in these Tea Party times, it makes far more economic sense to invest less money to move more people more efficiently — without reliance on expensive foreign oil.

Which should make support for cycling and for bicycling infrastructure a no-brainer.

Wherever you stand on the political spectrum.

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KPCC reports on the proposed bike anti-harassment law. Gary reports that Santa Monica’s proposed Michigan Avenue Bike Boulevard could move a step closer to reality at Tuesday’s SaMo City Council meeting. And he argues that if the city wants people to buy local, bike racks matter, while Rick Risemberg looks at efforts to get bike parking around L.A. Next time you’re riding up Nichols Canyon, keep an eye open for Hatfield’s chef and co-owner Quinn Hatfield. A visit to Pete’s Lemonade Stand to talk bikes and sample a Breezer folding bike. Ride through Camp Pendleton to support wounded service members this Saturday. Streetsblog interviews LACBC and CicLAvia board member Stephen Villavaso about San Francisco’s Sunday Streets. Streetsblog’s Damien Newton and Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious report on the past weekend’s Transportation Camp.

Where’s the disconnect in getting more people of color on their bikes? Tucson delays efforts to cut back on bike parking. After riding 1,100 miles to win the Iditarod Trail Invitational in record time, Jay Petervary sets his sights on RAAM. Denver gets its first coffee bar by bakfiets. A biking blue-blood inventor and entrepreneur in Cleveland. The Columbus Dispatch offers a rare balanced and accurate accounting of how to share the road. A video tribute to winter cyclists in Minneapolis. Keeping up the pressure to get Vermonters out of their cars and out in the open air. Evidently, some New Yorkers like their bike lanes, regardless of what the wives of some U.S. Senators may think. Unlike other transit systems attempts to limit bikes, Washington DC’s Metro wants to quadruple the number of bike commuters on their trains; a writer reminds the Washington Post that it’s really not that hard. Just four counties in Florida account for 7.5% of all the cycling deaths in the U.S. The Lovely Bicycle asks why we’re surprised by the anti-bike backlash.

After a local paper argues that Toronto’s famously anti-bike mayor may not be so bad after all, a writer says yeah, right. The Brazilian banking equivalent of the Good Doctor who drove through a recent Critical Mass ride will be charged with attempted murder.

The New York Times looks at London’s Boris Bikes. Five tips on how to get your bike stolen. Cyclists are accused of hijacking public process. A UK MP proposes a bill targeting cyclists who kill or injure pedestrians, even though only 3 such deaths have been recorded in the last 10 years. More Welsh cyclists are getting ticketed for riding on the sidewalk; bike advocates say it just shows more infrastructure is needed. Servicing Dutch F-16s by bike. More springtime cyclists does not always mean more cyclists. HTC-Highroad cyclist Matt Goss tops the UCI rankings after his dramatic victory in the Milan – San Remo classic on Saturday. Speaking of UCI, at least some pro teams are threatening to leave in dispute over race radios. North American cities offer evidence for Aussie’s that more infrastructure spending results in rising riding rates. A recent comment points our attention to Bishop’s Path Racers of Christchurch NZ, dedicated to restoring classic, and building custom, path (track) bikes; those bikes on their site are damn pretty. Japanese cyclists send bikes to quake-hit Tohoku. Fuel shortages and a lack of visitors mean bikes are back in a formerly popular Japanese tourist town. On vacation in Thailand, Will Campbell offers proof of Bangkok bikeways, even if they do have 90 degree turns. Ten more places to ride your bike before you die.

Finally, Bike Radar asks if dangerous cyclists put us all at risk. And a rider who crashed the marathon course with Wolfpack Hustle on Sunday gets a little help from a few of the 300 riders who came out in the pouring rain.

Congratulations to everyone who participated in Sunday’s L.A. Marathon — and especially to those who accomplished the nearly superhuman feat of finishing despite the record downpour.

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

Culver City backpedals on new bike/ped master plan, Ballona Creek Bike Path reopens

March 18, 2011 / / 4 comments

Cyclists in front of CC City Hall; did the Culver City Council have their fingers crossed when the voted for the new master plan?

Breaking news from Culver City —

First the good news:

After long delays due to this year’s unusually wet winter, the new and improved Ballona Creek Bike Path is scheduled to reopen just in time for weekend riding — and the weekend’s expected rain.

The project includes a newly paved section of the bikeway — something the rest of it desperately needs — as well as drought-tolerant landscaping, improved lighting and security cameras, and a separated pedestrian path.

That dull roar you hear is the sound of cyclists across the city cheering.

Now for the bad news:

Just months after approving the city’s first Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, Culver City’s City Council could be contemplating kicking the teeth out of it.

A motion by Councilmember D. Scott Malsin would replace planned bike lanes on Washington Blvd with sharrows, and amend the bike plan to allow the council to override the approved bikeway designations based on economic and safety considerations. And in government speak, that covers just about any reason under the sun.

If the motion passes, the city wouldn’t have to commit to anything in the plan, using trumped-up safety fears, as well as real or imagined budget concerns to kill anything — or everything — in it.

That includes complaints from over-privileged NIMBYists who just don’t want bikes or walkers on their street, and can claim an unreasonable fear of hitting one as justification for killing a planned bikeway or pedestrian crossing.

And it could turn the entire plan into nothing more than a bunch of lines on a worthless piece of paper, just like L.A.’s failed 1996 plan.

The city wrote the plan, with input from the public. The Council approved it.

Now it’s up to us to make sure they stand behind it.

The motion is scheduled to be considered at the City Council and Redevelopment Agency Meeting on Monday, March 28th at 7 pm in the Council Chambers of Culver City City Hall, 9770 Culver Blvd.

A room full of bicyclists and pedestrians — in other words, just about everyone who doesn’t blow through the city on four or more wheels — might help them maintain their backbone.

And make sure they didn’t have their fingers crossed when they adopted the plan.

Follow the Culver City Bicycle Coalition for future updates.

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Council President Eric Garcetti offers a great photo from the L.A. River Bike Path; you can almost ignore the massive cement wall in the background. A short L.A. River bikethon is scheduled for Saturday the 26th to protest widening of the 710 Freeway, which could soon be obsolete anyway. LACBC kicks off a campaign for bike lanes eventually along the entire length of Downtown’s 7th Street. Bicycle Kitchen hosts a basic wrenching class this Saturday. Turns out L.A.’s new fire chief rides a bike; maybe we can talk him into joining us for a ride sometime — how about an LACoFD contingent for CicLAvia? Beat L.A. Marathon traffic by riding your bike this Sunday. Joe Linton interviews the Hombres of Bici Libre, aka the Bike Wranglers. Frank Peters of cdm Cyclist interviews Long Beach Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal. More on the victims of Wednesday’s Long Beach plane crash, which took the life of bike advocate Mark Bixby and four others. San Francisco sharrows are removed after being unpopular with cyclists and ignored by drivers. Nineteen elite teams are committed for the 2011 Amgen Tour of California.

Bob Mionske looks at ride liability waivers, while Lance takes on Big Tobacco. Easy to read graphic map of bicycling trends throughout the U.S. Twelve reasons to use a bike for transportation. How to balance biking and family time. A Tucson mayoral candidate has 13 traffic tickets since ’92 — including killing an 18-year old woman when he ran a stop sign. Kansas’ proposed three-foot passing law moves forward. A Minnesota cyclist gets a ticket for running a red light after getting hit by a car; I hope they relied on witnesses other than the driver to determine who ran the light. New Yorkers thank the city for three years of traffic improvements and better road safety. In response to the NYPD’s crackdown on cyclists, two council members propose flashing yellow traffic lights in some parks when they’re closed to cars. DC cyclists gain access to a popular bikeway through the Navy Yard — but not when it would do bike commuters any good. A Republican Congress might actually be good for bicycling; only if they stop saying no to everything.

Evidently, pothole patching is sufficient for London’s Olympic road course; I hope they do a better job of it than they do here. Cyclists have been victimized by fraud after visiting a popular UK-based website. Experts thought a little girl would never walk or talk after she contracted bacterial meningitis at age 6, now she’s a 10-year old road racer. A proposed Northern Ireland mandatory helmet law will drive cyclists off the road without improving safety. Bicycling offers a preview of Saturday’s 102nd Milan-San Remo classic. Taylor Phinney hopes to bounce back from a rough start to his first pro year.  Apparently, tainted meat is the new get out of jail free card for cyclists accused of doping with Clenbuterol, but Human Growth Hormone will get you busted. A network of bike lanes are planned for Namibia. Now this is what I call a bike path. Eight Bangkok bicyclists will take on five other means of transportation to prove which is more efficient in rush hour traffic. In case you missed it, CNN offers a report on an 83-year old woman who escaped last week’s tsunami by bicycle.

Finally, for all you guys suffering from the problem of highly stressed huevos — and frankly, who doesn’t? — a new nose-less saddle from Taiwan promises testicles relaxing, as well as buttock sore no more. And a one-wheeled cyclist sues over tickets for violating a ban on two or three-wheeled devices on sidewalks.

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

Pissed off about bike lanes on your street? Get over it already.

March 17, 2011 / / 4 comments

There are nearly 21,000 miles of non-freeway roads in Los Angeles County. How many of those do you think were built to accommodate motor vehicles?

All of them.

So why do some people get so pissed off when a few lousy feet are finally set aside for the benefit of someone else?

Take Tuesday night, when cyclists made a last stand before the joint Porter Ranch and Northridge West Neighborhood Councils in an attempt to preserve the Wilbur Avenue road diet and bike lanes.

While no one can argue that motorists, or anyone else, received sufficient notice of the road work, people who live in the immediate area seem to like it. And there’s no real argument that something had to be done to improve safety on a residential street that had turned into a high-speed throughway in recent years, as drivers used it as a secret bypass to more congested roadways.

Yet inconvenienced drivers are up in arms about the loss of their speedway. Even if their arguments don’t always hold water.

After all, it’s far too hard to simply slow down and observe the speed limit, protecting the safety of other people on and along the street.

Or find a route that utilizes one of the overwhelming majority of streets that don’t have bike lanes or road diets, where you can drive with all the wild abandon L.A. traffic will allow.

Surprisingly, the Wilbur Avenue road diet survived this vote, despite overwhelming opposition from the 450 people in attendance — who, according to Streetsblog, went so far as to boo calls for road safety.

Why should you care if a few people are killed or injured if it means you can get where you’re going a few minutes faster?

Then there’s Doug Krikorian of the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

A respected sportswriter and columnist, he seems to have taken it upon himself to return Long Beach to its previous state of bike unfriendliness.

Why?

Because it inconveniences him.

After all, he recently found himself stuck in traffic on Broadway. And didn’t see a single cyclist using the city’s newly installed bike lanes the entire time he sat there gnashing his teeth.

It may have been a situation that left him speechless, but unfortunately, not typeless. And led him to the inescapable conclusion that no one bikes in Long Beach, despite evidence to the contrary.

Which is odd, because I’ve often found myself riding on streets without a car in sight.

Yet it never occurred to me to become angry over the wasted space devoted to motor vehicles that could have been converted to more productive uses. I just assumed that the cars would undoubtedly be along sooner or later, for better or worse.

And never mind that those bike lanes he’s complaining about aren’t even officially open yet.

But evidently, when Krikorian gazes out his window and doesn’t see a bike, that means the bikeway — in fact, the city’s entire commitment to bike-friendliness — is a failure.

Not that he has any statistics to back that up, of course.

It’s not like there’s anyone at the Press-Telegram could do a little research, after all. Or that he could call Long Beach Mobility Coordinator Charlie Gandy and ask if anyone actually rides in the city.

Although to be fair, more people might ride if their bikes didn’t get stolen.

Of course, the real problem wasn’t the bike lanes beside him, it was all the cars and trucks ahead of him. And that if more people used those bike lanes, he might not be stuck be stuck in traffic next time.

Then again, it’s not just a problem here in the L.A. area.

Anti-bike NIMBYism runs rampant just about everywhere. Even in the biking capital of North America.

Take Fresno County, where local farmers are all for cycling, but don’t want bike paths near their farmland. Not because they would be inconvenienced by all those two-wheelers silently whizzing by, of course. But because cyclists would be exposed to all those pesticides and industrial chemicals they put on our food.

As if we’re not exposed to them already when we eat it.

It’s not like cyclists aren’t riding those country roads anyway. The proposed bike paths would just make it a little safer by getting bikes out of the way of all the combines and farm trucks they currently have to dodge.

On the other extreme, there’s New York City, where Prospect Park West is Ground Zero in the bike lane wars — even though 70% of local residents support the bike lanes that were recently installed there.

The seemingly endless debate goes on, even migrating to economists, who can and will debate anything, seemingly endlessly. And again, don’t always get it right.

Yet the massive congestion claimed by opponents has failed to materialize, adding just 7 seconds to the average commute through the park. And pretty much all of dangers opponents project can be mitigated by looking both ways.

Evidently, that’s something New York mothers don’t teach their children to do, unlike virtually every other mother on the face of the planet.

Yet that doesn’t stop the opposition from offering less effective alternatives. And it keeps other bike projects from moving forward.

What they all fail to consider is that the entire total of bike lanes — whether here in L.A. or anywhere else this side of Amsterdam or Copenhagen — represents just a minute fraction of roadways otherwise devoted almost exclusively to motor vehicles.

And even then, it amounts to no more than 10 or 12 feet of space out of the entire road surface.

So let’s face it.

It’s not the bike lanes — or the bikes, or lack of bikes, on them — that’s making anyone’s commute a living hell.

It’s all the other cars and trucks on the street, most of which usually contain just one person behind the wheel, often on his or her cell phone, texting or web surfing.

Which means the bikeways they bitch aren’t the problem, but rather, just a small part of the solution.

And if the biggest problem you or anyone else has today is a cyclist or bike lane slowing your commute, your must be having a damn good day.

So just get over it already.

.………

Alta Planning’s Mia Birk offers tips and strategies on how to avoid the backlash, suggesting that fighting the battle upfront can help avoid Wilbur Avenue or PPW-type battles after the fact.

Although something tells me you can do all the outreach in the world, and it still won’t satisfy the people who choose not to participate until they suddenly discover a bike lane on their favorite high-speed short-cut.

Not that I’m feeling the least bit cynical today or anything.

.………

More on the death of Long Beach bike activist Mark Bixby and four other prominent people from the Long Beach area, from the L.A. Times, Long Beach Press-Telegram and the Daily Breeze, as well as a Santa Barbara perspective on the tragedy.

For those of us who didn’t have the privilege of knowing him, you can get a feel for who Bixby was — and how important cycling was to him — through his blog and his all-too-brief Twitter feed.

.………

A cyclist suffered significant injuries in a solo fall in Palos Verdes Tuesday morning. According to the Daily Breeze, the rider was one of five who were descending a steep hill on Via Del Monte around 7 am when he lost control and crashed on the 500 block near Via Ramon.

Jim Lyle writes to say that the street has an 8% grade, making speeds over 30 mph possible. Speed bumps were installed recently to slow vehicle traffic, but there’s space between them for emergency vehicles, making it unlikely that they were the cause.

Meanwhile, an Orange County rider required a helicopter rescue after going over the handlebars in rough terrain around 10:13 Wednesday morning. And an Altadena cyclist was injured in a right-hook-and-run.

.………

Anyone in the job market — and these days, that seems to be just about everyone — may want to check out this Craigslist listing.

Trainer/Instructor needed for outdoor bike safety program at schools and events. Physical ability needed to handle equipment and props; includes setting up student training course plus instructing students on pedestrian and bicycle safety. Will train. Background in sports or outdoor activities desired. Works well with children. Must have flexible schedule as hours vary. Weekend availability a definite plus. Pay rate based on experience. Please email resume.

Thanks to Stephanie for the heads-up.

.………

Yesterday’s breaking news left me with a long backlog of links. I’ll try to catch up over the next few days, starting with the ones I’d planned to post yesterday, but which seemed inappropriate given the day’s news. Look for more late tonight or tomorrow morning.

L.A. County’s new model streets manual was unveiled Tuesday night, including a requirement to design streets for all users, including bikes. LACBC announces Sunday Funday #4, exploring crosstown routes on Sunday, April 3rd. The new Bike Wrangler space across from Good Sam finally has a name. L.A. bike cops in 1904. Ride the closed-off L.A. Marathon course before the race starts. Covina is the latest SoCal city to ask for your help in developing a new bike plan, with three workshops scheduled before the end of the month. Claremont will serve as the launching point for Stage 7 of this year’s Amgen TofC. Last weekend’s Tour de Murietta honored pro cyclist Jorge Alvarado, who was killed by street racers near San Bernardino last spring. A California cyclist uses echolocation to navigate despite a lack of eyesight. Links to bike computer manuals for everyone who forgot how to spring forward.

Fifteen women who don’t exactly rule the biking world, but close. Which is worse — angry terriers or argumentative drivers? Before engineers are allowed to work on bike projects, maybe they should be required to actually ride a bike. A Colorado driver and his passenger are ticketed in a road rage case after being captured on the rider’s front and rear video cams. Ten teams are now confirmed for Colorado’s Quizno’s Pro Challenge, with some of the top pro teams participating, including Cancellara and the Schleck brothers. The Idaho house bars the use of eminent domain for building bikeways. An Iowa cyclist overcomes a broken arm and leg to win the 350 mile Iditarod bike race. Chicago considers adding a cycle track. When a cyclist has to compete for a driver’s attention, the cyclist always loses. Wednesday was Texas’ first Cyclists in Suits day. New Orleans prepares to break ground on the Lafitte Corridor, a three mile stretch of bike paths, greenways and public gardens. A New York police commander tries, and evidently fails, to defend the city’s selective enforcement crackdown on cyclists; key stat — 35 million Central Park visitors in 2010, yet just 42 incidents involving cyclists and pedestrians. A Florida truck driver swerves to hit and kill a cyclist, then keeps on driving; remarkably, the reporter refrains from calling it an accident. Miami Beach kicks off a bike share program; Toronto launches its own May 3rd.

UK employees get more than a Bike to Work Week to encourage them to ride. Evidently, dragging a cyclist 150 meters beneath a large truck is just an accident. The Cycle Opera moves forward, based on the life of British steelworker and Olympic cyclist Lal White. A Brit blogger has eight bikes stolen, and somehow gets them all back. Follow the tweets of top pros on a single Twitter list. Welcome to New Zealand, where life if cheap — at least for cyclists — although they do seem to take dooring seriously.

Finally, Copenhagenize looks at biking in post-earthquake Japan — and provides a historical perspective when some people take offense.

And anyone planning to ride through Beverly Hills today is urged to avoid the Wilshire Blvd geyser.

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

Breaking News — leading Long Beach bike advocate Mark Bixby killed in plane crash

March 16, 2011 / / 4 comments

A plane crash is never good news. But when it takes the life of one of the region’s leading bike advocates, it’s doubly tragic.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Long Beach community leaders Tom Dean, Jeff Berger and Mark Bixby were among the five people killed when a small plane crashed on takeoff at Long Beach airport this morning. Mike Jensen survived the crash in critical condition; the other two victims have not been publicly identified, though one was the pilot.

Bixby, commercial real estate agent and scion of Long Beach’s Bixby Land Company, has been one of the leading forces behind the city’s recent bicycling renaissance, and the founder of the annual Long Beach Bike Festival. He has also been one of the key advocates insisting on bicycling access to the new Gerald Desmond Bridge, as well as supporting the recent revocation of the city’s bicycle licensing program.

The twin-engine Beechcraft King Air reportedly took off from the runway before circling back and crashing on airport property at 10:37 am, bursting into flames on impact.

I hope you’ll join me in offering sympathy to the entire Long Beach biking community, as well as prayers for Bixby and all of his family and loved ones.

Update: According to the Long Beach Press-Telegram, Jeff Berger and Tom Dean were partners in a local development firm, while Mike Jenson was Bixby’s boss as owner of Pacific Retail Partners. The plane, which was owned by Dean, was reportedly on a flight to Park City, Utah for a ski trip.

Bixby is survived by his wife and three children.

Update: The Press-Telegram identified the other victim as Bruce Krall, Dean’s banker; the pilot has not been identified yet. Frank Peters of cdm Cyclist offers a moving memory of his personal friendship with Mark Bixby, and provides a link to Bixby’s blog.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, General / Tags: , , , ,

Fight back against blocked bike lanes, SoCal bike crime beat, a brief rant and a long list of events

March 12, 2011 / / 6 comments

It’s not like we have enough of them as it is.

I mean, I can’t speak for you. But few things tick me off more than riding through one of the all-too-few bike lanes in this megalopolis we call home — let alone the even rarer ones that are actually worth using — only to suddenly have to dart into unforgiving traffic without warning.

All because some jerk decided to double park in the bike lane. Or maybe leave their garbage bins in our designated riding right-of-way.

Or my ultimate annoyance, a movie or construction crew that felt a need to place their orange cones in our way on the off chance that someone might actually stray a little too close to one of their precious trucks.

Which makes me want to slap the side of the damn things as hard as I can while I ride by. Something I have only barely managed to avoid doing.

So far.

Fortunately, there are cooler — and wiser — heads in this world.

Take I Block the Bike Lane.

A new nationwide bike safety program, IBBL invites riders to place non-destructive, static-cling stickers on vehicles and objects blocking bike lanes.

And not, as I am often tempted, to tell them what jerks they are. But rather, to start a constructive dialogue that maybe, just maybe, might make the driver think twice about doing it again.

I’ll let Michelle, one of the founders of I Block the Bike Lane, explain the rationale behind the program — and how you can get involved.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s most recent statistics, 603 bicyclists died on US roads in 2009 and another 50,000 were injured in traffic. The state of California is consistently second only to Florida in cyclist fatalities. A new and national campaign is seeking to cut those numbers by making motorists aware of the dangers associated with blocking bicycle lanes.

iblockthebikelane.com is a sticker campaign aimed at driving motorists to a friendly and educational website. At the heart of the initiative are Bike Lane Sticker Teams, who place iblockthebikelane.com easy-peel stickers on vehicles illegally standing or parking in clearly marked bicycle lanes. The stickers are invitations to visit the website, which houses a safety plea from bikers, as well as current bicycle-related news and information.

The campaign also stresses to bikers the importance of riding responsibly and peacefully coexisting with motorists.

Visitors to the website are encouraged to leave comments. One of the goals of the campaign is to foster a constructive dialogue between drivers and bikers, in the hopes that mutual understanding will make everyone feel better about sharing the streets.

As the campaign builds momentum, its organizers are looking for Bike Lane Sticker Team volunteers in cities across the country. Information about participation and sticker orders can be found online at www.iblockthebikelane.com/jointheblst.

I often have guest authors on here because I enjoy offering a variety of perspectives and seeing cycling issues through someone else’s eyes. Even if I don’t always agree with what they have to say.

But this is one program I can get behind without hesitation.

So place your order.

And go out and stick it to ‘em.

Just a quick aside — if, like Michelle, you have something you’d like to share with the biking community here in L.A., California and around the U.S., just let me know. You can find my email address on the About BikingInLA page.

.………

In the local SoCal bike crime beat, Patricia Ann Izquieta has been sentenced to three years in prison for killing cyclist Donald Murphy while high on prescription medications in a 2009 Newport Beach hit-and-run. And arraignment has been postponed for the woman for allegedly killed Jose Luis Carmona in a drunken hit-and-run while he walked his bike on the side of PCH.

Meanwhile, this somehow flew under my radar, as Jose Luis Huerta Mundo pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence in the death of cyclist Michael Nine in Newport Beach last year, and was sentenced to 360 days in jail on February 7th. However, cyclist/attorney Dj Wheels reports that he was released from custody two days later on February 9th; even if he was credited with time served from the time of his July 21st arrest, that works out to a lot less than 360 days. He may soon be deported, if he hasn’t been already, since ICE had a hold on him pending his release.

.………

At a Thursday Community Board meeting, New York’s embattled Prospect Park West bike lanes were supported by 86 people, with just 11 opposed.

But let me get this straight.

People affected by the earthquake in Japan are fighting for their lives right now, while people in Libya are fighting for their freedom. And a bunch of rich people in New York are fighting over a goddam bike lane?

Seriously?

Sometimes it seems like if you’re not pissed off, you’re just not paying attention.

.………

Metro throws down a challenge for local developers to build a mobile app or mash-up using their transit data; winner could get a cash prize of up to $2000. A kickoff event will be held March 31st, with entries due May 20th.

.………

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

The next Folk Art Everywhere ride rolls this Saturday from noon to 3 pm starting at Rudy Ortega Park in San Fernando, giving you a chance to tour the Northeast Valley is a fun and easygoing way, while you learn about the Valley’s past and present Native American tribes. Speakers will represent Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural, Pacoima Beautiful and Pukuu Cultural Community Services.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a few days early at the Hermosa Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade beginning at 11 am on Saturday, March 12th along Pier Avenue; you may recognize some familiar faces in the bike parade.

Flying Pigeon and the Bike Oven host the free Spoke(n) Art Ride on the 2nd Saturday of every month; the next ride will take place on March 12th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

Also on the 12th, Long Beach continues their series of workshops for the city’s new Bicycle Master Plan with a bike ride from 10 am to 11:30 am, and a community workshop from 11:30 to 1 pm at the Expo Center (Bixby Knolls)
4321 Atlantic Ave in Long Beach. Additional workshops take place on Saturday the 19th and Wednesday, March 23rd.

Help refine the route for CicLAvia’s planned expansion into South L.A. with a monthly bike ride starting at 1 pm at Trust South LA, 152 West 32nd Street; email tafarai@trustsouthla.org for more information.

Flying Pigeon’s Get Sum Dim Sum ride takes place on the third Sunday of each month; the next ride will be Sunday, March 20 from 10 am to 1 pm, starting at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

The County of Los Angeles begins a series of 11 workshops for the new 2011 draft Bicycle Master Plan on Tuesday, March 28th from 6 to 7:30 pm at Topanga Elementary School, 141 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd, in Topanga. Additional workshops will be held March 29th, March 30th, March 31, April 4th, April 5th, April 6th, April 11th, April 12th, April 13th and April 14th; click here for locations and times.

There should be an app for that. Metro invites anyone with a good idea to develop useful mobile apps or web mash-ups utilizing their transit data, with a goal of enhancing riders ability to use transit and encouraging more people to go Metro — and you could win up to $2,000 for your efforts. Learn more on Thursday, March 31st from 6 to 7:30 pm at Metro Headquarters, One Gateway Plaza Downtown.

The Santa Clarita Century is scheduled to roll on Saturday, April 2nd with rides ranging from a family ride to a full century.

If you’re looking for something a little more relaxed, visit the free Magical Magnolia Bicycle Touron Saturday, April 2nd from 3 to 7 pm in the Magnolia Park neighborhood in Burbank; be sure to visit Porto’s Bakery for a great Medianoche or Cubano sandwich and Cuban pastries.

The next three CicLAvias will take place on April 10th, July 10th and October 9th. If you missed the first one, don’t make the same mistake again; word is that Lance won’t.

Keep the post-CicLAvia good bike feelings going on Thursday, April 14th with Bike Night at the Hammer Museum, starting at 7 pm at 10899 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood. Free admission, free food, drinks and screenings of the 1986 BMX classic Rad.

The Antelope Valley Conservancy sponsors the 16th Annual Antelope Valley Ride on Saturday, May 7th with rides of 20, 30 and 60 miles; check-in begins at 7 am at George Lane Park, 5520 West Avenue L-8 in Quartz Hill.

L.A.’s 17th annual Bike Week takes place May 16th through the 20th, with an emphasis on bike safety education, and events throughout the city. This year’s Blessing of the Bicycles will take place as part of Bike Week on 8 to 9:30 am on May 17th at Downtown’s Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Street. And Metro is looking for Bike Buddies to guide inexperienced cyclists on Bike to Work Day; heads-up courtesy of the marathon-training danceralamode.

The San Diego Century ride takes place on Saturday, May 21st with rides of 37, 66 or 103 miles, starting in Encinitas, along with free admission to an expo featuring sports, local cuisine and live music.

L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride rolls on June with the 11th Annual River Ride; advance registrationis open now. Volunteers are needed now and on the day of the ride, email RRvolunteer@la-bike.org for more info and to sign up.

And mark your calendar for the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat on October 9th; unfortunately, Yom Kippur also falls on that date this year, so cyclists of the Jewish Persuasion will have to choose between atoning and having something else to atone for.

.………

The American Prospect says L.A. could be the next great cycling city, while the city breaks ground on the new West Valley River Bike Path, though not everyone approves. The city finally fixes 4th Street’s infamous Hudson River, yet leaves the pavement looking like a war zone. For anyone who struggled to finish a century, try riding 256 miles in a single day. The City of Covina wants your opinion for its new bike plan; the South Bay is working on a bike plan of its own to connect seven local cities. Long Beach continues to outpace the rest of us, with construction starting on a 3rd Street road diet. Find a bike safety class near you.

The Feds are already greenlighting innovative bikeway designs based on the new NACTO standards. A look at bike commuter trends in the U.S. The National Bike Summit rides in honor of Gabby Giffords. Bike pins are popular in the halls of Congress, let’s see if that translates into votes on the floor. Oregon Democratic Rep Earl Blumenauer says opposing bike lanes is bad politics; please tell that to the guys on the other side of the aisle. Las Vegas is trying to make access to its new transit center bike friendlier; if they really want to make Vegas bike friendly, try turning down the daytime temperatures and taming the traffic a little. Portland cyclists actually get little street icons to show where to trigger a traffic signal. Nine rules for riding in a paceline. Rhode Island considers a vulnerable road user law. NY Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams calls NYDOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan “that transportation insect;” hmmmm, I wonder which of those two is actually making the city a better place to live? Hint: it ain’t the gossip maven.

Developing better aerodynamics on the cheap. After suffering serious injuries in his first bike race, a cyclist sues for $20 million. Once, bike tunnels were built before car tunnels; now they’re nearly forgotten. The Beeb takes a beautiful look at the beauty of the bicycle. London Cyclist once again ranks the top 50 bike blogs, and once again, I’m not on it. Take part in a 115 mile pre-Olympic ride around London this September. Four months in jail for a drunken bike theft and crash while fleeing the police. A Dublin bike counting system can count bikes on the bike path, but not the road next to it. Relatives of a British cycling victim get the support of over half the members of the European Parliament to improve bike safety. Bike shops do big business as people look for alternative transportation after Friday’s earthquake, while the fancy automated bike parking facilities don’t work. Cyclelicious explains what we’re seeing on the news from Japan — and why he’s concerned about it.

Finally, writing for City Watch, a university professor professes a knowledge of economics while demonstrating an auto-centric misunderstanding of street planning, claiming that Angelenos who want more bike lanes need a reality check.

Funny, you’d think an Econ professor would understand that traffic is not a zero sum equation. On the other hand, Zev seems to get it.

And boy, do I know this feeling.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Car vs Bike, Guest Columns, Legal Cases, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , , ,

L.A.’s groundbreaking anti-harassment ordinance moves forward; Box says the journey continues

March 10, 2011 / / 6 comments

Unfortunately, transit issues kept me from getting to Wednesday’s Transportation Committee meeting until after the hearing for the proposed anti-harassment ordinance.

The good news is, there were plenty of other cyclists there to support it, including Ross Hirsch, Jeff Jacobberger and BAC Chair Jay Slater. In the end, the measure received unanimous approval to move forward to the full council, while the City Attorney’s office considers minor wording changes to clarify the penalties and to add a line prohibiting forcing cyclists off the road.

The committee also voted to support a study to develop solid data for a Safe Routes to School program, and to recommend funding of bike and pedestrian projects from Measure R.

Damien Newton offers a full recount of the meeting on Streetsblog, and LADOT Bike Blog provides an in-depth report on the anti-harassment ordinance. And you catch up on the meeting by following the Twitter feed.

As for me, I gained first-hand knowledge of why Wilshire Boulevard so desperately needs a Bus Rapid Transit lane.

And why I will avoid the 720 bus from here on, even if it means walking another 10 blocks to catch the 728.

.………

Stephen Box says even though he lost, the journey continues; let’s not forget that he remains the city’s most forceful bike activist. It will be interesting to see if the beard comes back, or if he stays in his new clean-shaven politico mode.

Meanwhile, Tom LaBonge says thanks, and Damien Newton offers his thoughts on Tuesday’s election results; as usual on Streetsblog, the comments are worth reading, too. Mark Elliot offers an insightful post-mortem on Better Bike Beverly Hills in which he blames you, if you were one of the overwhelming majority of voters who didn’t bother to.

.………

The Economist says if motorists paid for all the costs they impose on others, there’d be fewer drivers complaining about bike lanes and more people using them. And a writer for the Washington Post nails it when he says if you love driving, buy your neighbor a bike:

I see the (New York City) Bloomberg administration’s aggressive pursuit of bike lanes and related alternatives as an almost radically pro-car position. If driving is to remain half as pleasant as Cassidy wants it to, it will only be because most New Yorkers decide against purchasing cars. And they’re only going to do that if the other options seem attractive…. I’ve seen that future and it’s called Los Angeles. New Yorkers should want no part of it.

Neither should we.

Meanwhile, suddenly embattled NYDOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan escapes the media-generated backlash to present at the National Bike Summit. And a DC writer says hatred of cyclists is not a partisan issue; she’s got a point, I’m sure liberal drivers blame cyclists as much as conservatives do. And Dave Moulton says the whole argument is a sign that we’re winning.

.………

CSU Long Beach and UC Irvine were named Silver-level Bike Friendly Universities by the League of American Bicyclists; UCLA was awarded Bronze. Needless to say, USC, which banned bikes from parts of campus — including a walkway Metro lists as designated bikeway — wasn’t.

The upper levels were held exclusively by California schools, with UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara awarded Gold, and Stanford the only school recognized with a Platinum award. And that little school in my hometown gets a little credit, too.

Thanks to Evan G. for the tip.

.………

The next Folk Art Everywhere ride rolls this Saturday from noon to 3 pm starting at Rudy Ortega Park in San Fernando, giving you a chance to tour the Northeast Valley in a fun and easygoing way while you learn about the Valley’s past and present Native American tribes. Guest speakers will represent Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural, Pacoima Beautiful and Pukuu Cultural Community Services.

.………

ABC’s Modern Family talks up cycling and safe streets; maybe some of the other Hollywood shows will join in. Without bike parking, bike lanes and other cycling infrastructure won’t encourage commuting or shopping. More on the national Best Practices Award given to LACBC’s City of Lights Program. LADOT Bike Blog reports on the March BPIT meeting. A 55-year old rider known as the Unigeezer becomes the first to ride a unicycle up L.A.’s steepest street.

Thousand Oaks residents argue over widening a roadway for a planned bike lane; opponents actually call for a separated bike path instead. A look at Amine Britel, the cyclist killed by an alleged drunk driver in Newport Beach last month. Russ Roca says this bike is not a bike, it’s a Brompton — but please don’t tell. Santa Rosa senior citizens oppose a bike lane through their retirement community. Lodi is the latest city to crack down on cyclists, though most of their scofflaws are children. Cal State Fullerton police use GPS trackers to bust bike thieves. Visalia’s bike plan calls for 200 miles of new bike lanes. The Art of the Group Ride, a great new — well, new to me at least — Bay Area blog enjoys a group ride for two, even if the other rider is just 2-1/2.

Rising young marathoner, trail runner and triathlete  Sally Meyerhoff was killed in a collision with a pickup in Maricopa AZ on Tuesday when she reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign; thanks to Todd Munson for the heads-up. Looks like bike cafes may be the latest trend. The new Urban Bikeway Design Guide is out for all you traffic engineers, street planners and infrastructure wonks. Nine tips for beginning cyclists. Detroit focuses on biking to attract young professionals to the city. As part of CNN’s Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge, a cyclist discovers the challenges of clipless pedals. Traffic isn’t the only risk some riders face.

Christian Vande Veld is passing on this year’s Giro. Former Liquigas rider Franco Pellizotti says a two-year doping ban probably marks the end of his riding career. Pro riders threaten to strike over a ban on race radios; somehow, Eddie Merckx and the other legends seemed to do okay without them. Brisbane pedestrians call for a ban on sidewalk riding “lycra lunatics” because “we were here first.” A Christchurch NZ cyclist is determined to ride again after breaking his neck while riding to check on his neighbors after the recent earthquake.

Finally, Bike Rumor says now this is a bike lane. Anyone want to bet there’s nothing like it in the L.A. or L.A. County plans?

Category: Advocacy & Politics, General / Tags: , , , , , ,
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