Archive for Bicycle Safety

Yet another teenage bike rider killed in shooting. Does it matter?

July 18, 2011 / / 11 comments

Last April, a 17-year old cyclist was hit and killed by a speeding car on a busy Valley boulevard. The driver roared away without even slowing down, leaving Alex Romero to die in the street.

Last Saturday, another 17-year old was killed while riding his bike, this time in Lincoln Heights near Downtown L.A.

Instead of a careless, heartless and overly aggressive driver, this young man, still not publicly identified, encountered a group of gang members who opened fire as he attempted to ride away; he died a short time later at USC Medical Center.

Should we care about one, and not the other?

Thousands of cyclists and other Angelenos have been deeply affected by the death of Romero, as well as Danny Marin, another rider killed in a similar collision.

And neither begins to compare with the outpouring of grief demonstrated for Connor Lynch, the 16-year old runner from the valley’s exclusive Notre Dame High School killed by a young driver who fled before turning herself in a few blocks away

Yet when we see the words gang shooting, we turn our heads and look the other way.

Just one of those things. One of those people. Yet another victim of a community that long ago learned to live and die with violence.

Yet this young man had as much of a future as Romero, Marin and Lynch.

Maybe he had more challenges to overcome, maybe less. We don’t even know who he was yet, let alone why he was killed.

Maybe he was in the wrong gang. Maybe he was just wearing the wrong colors, or dressed the wrong way. Maybe he was someone they knew.

Maybe he was just an innocent victim, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

We may never know. The press usually doesn’t have much interest in cases like this; just another gang shooting, another young victim of the streets. No follow-up likely, unless something unusual turns up or, for some reason, the public happens to care.

Yet this young man’s future was still unwritten, and like the others — and every young person— full of near infinite possibilities that will never be fulfilled.

And family and friends who are undoubtedly devastated by the news, and wondering how they will ever go on without him.

A death is a death, whether it comes from a bullet or the bumper of a car.

Does it really matter how or why?

He was on a bike.

He was one of us.

……..

According to KTLA-5, the shooting occurred in front of a closed business on the 300 block of West Avenue 33 in Lincoln Heights around 8:30 pm Saturday.

Detectives believe the victim encountered a group of gang members, who opened fire as he tried to ride away; responding officers found him laying in the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detectives J. Rios or Cary Ricard at (323) 342-8959. During non-business hours or weekends, calls may be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.

This is the 6th fatal shooting of a bicyclist in Southern California this year, and the 5th in Los Angeles County. His was the 43rd confirmed cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 17th in L.A. County.

And most likely, far from the last.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , ,

Another South Bay cyclist killed on Saturday; 5 dead in 4th of July carnage

July 6, 2011 / / One comment

I don’t even know what to say at this point.

After writing about two bicyclists killed as a result of collisions in South Bay beach cities this past weekend — an El Segundo hit-and-run and a San Pedro collision apparently caused by a careless rider — now comes word that a cyclist was killed in Long Beach on Saturday.

The Long Beach Post reports that the 68-year old cyclist, who has not been publicly identified, was riding east on Pacific Coast Highway near the Terminal Island Freeway when he was hit from behind by a 2011 Honda Accord around 6:48 am.

When police arrived, they found the victim lying in the roadway; paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. There’s no indication from the report where he was in the roadway or how he had been positioned when he was hit. While I’m not very familiar with this stretch of roadway, reports indicate that it can be a dangerous place to ride.

The driver, identified only as a 46-year old Long Beach woman, was questioned at the scene and released.

The past 4th of July weekend has just been devastating for South Bay cyclists and pedestrians; in addition to the biking fatalities, a pedestrian was killed in a San Pedro hit-and-run, and an 89-year old Redondo Beach woman was killed crossing the street.

This is the the 37th confirmed traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California, and the 12th in Los Angeles County, since the first of the year. Remarkably, the three deaths this weekend represent over 12% of the county’s annual average for the last five years for which records are available.

There’s something terribly wrong when we celebrate our independence by watching bodies pile up in the street.

I just feel sick right now.

My heart and prayers go out to the victim’s family. Thanks to Allan Alessio for the heads-up.

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

Second L.A. rider dies from injuries suffered on a bloody 4th of July

July 5, 2011 / / One comment

A second L.A. area cyclist has died of injuries received on the Fourth of July.

According to the Daily Breeze, 39-year old Steven Pyle was critically injured when he rode off the sidewalk and out into the street between two parked cars. As he emerged from between the cars, he was hit by an eastbound Nissan Altima near the intersection of 22nd Street and Barbour Court in San Pedro around 2:05 pm Monday.

The paper reports that he was narrowly missed by a white van before being struck by the car; the driver of the car that hit him stopped at the scene, while the other driver did not.

Pyle, a musician who was well-known in the area, suffered a severe head injury and was rushed into emergency surgery; he was taken of life support Tuesday afternoon and died later the same day.

The paper quotes LAPD Lt. Brian Whitten as saying no charges were expected to be filed in this case.

“It’s a traffic accident,” Whitten said. Pyle “rode between parked cars and into traffic. He was crossing the road when it wasn’t safe to do so.”

Pyle’s death is the second cycling fatality in Los Angeles resulting from collisions on the 4th of July; 32-year old cyclist George Loudon was killed on a dark El Segundo street while riding home from work early Monday morning. It was also the second fatal traffic collision in San Pedro in two days, as a pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run early Sunday morning.

This is the 36th confirmed traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California this year; five other riders have died as a result of shootings. Pyle is the 11th confirmed cycling traffic fatality in Los Angeles County since the first of the year; that compares to an average of 24.2 for the last five years for which statistics are available, from 2005 – 2009.

My deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.

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

When will it ever stop? El Segundo cyclist killed by hit-and-run driver July 4th; Rybicki improving

July 5, 2011 / / 11 comments

You knew we weren’t going to get through the holiday weekend without bad news.

Early morning on the 4th of July, those fears were confirmed when a hit-and-run driver took the life of 32-year old cyclist George Loudon in El Segundo. Loudon was reportedly making his was home from work when he was hit from behind while riding northbound on Vista Del Mar near Dockweiler State Beach in El Segundo.

The exact spot of the collision is unclear; reports say the collision occurred near Hyperion Way, which does not appear on online maps.

Loudon was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities reportedly don’t have any description of the suspect vehicle; anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD at 213/473-0222.

This was the second fatal hit-and-run in the L.A. area in just 24 hours, as a pedestrian was killed in San Pedro on Sunday.

Loudon’s death was the 35th confirmed cycling traffic fatality in Southern California this year, and the 10th in Los Angeles County; three of those fatalities have been the result of hit-and-runs.

And I’m still looking for confirmation of two other possible deaths in the past two weeks, including one in East L.A.

Maybe one day we’ll finally be able to celebrate our independence from cowards who flee the scene after killing or injuring another human being. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no lower form of life; it’s long past time we stop treating hit-and-runs like traffic collisions and start treating them like the crimes they are.

My prayers and condolences to Loudon’s family and friends.

Update: The Daily Breeze reports that Loudon, who lived in Venice, was riding through a “dark and desolate” area wearing dark clothing and without reflectors; whether he had a light is not mentioned. His body was found by a passing motorist, so there is no clear indication of exactly when he was hit. Police note that the vehicle should have significant damage to the front end.

……..

I’ve been hearing some unfortunate rumors about Adam Rybicki, the cyclist critically injured in a collision with an allegedly drunk, underage driver in Torrance last April.

So let me clear up any confusion.

Adam has been transferred to a rehab facility, and continues to show improvement. While he still has significant impairment due to his injuries, the latest reports are that he is able to communicate using a white board and is working hard at his recovery.

Clearly, he has a very long way to go, and prayers and positive thoughts are still needed.

But overall, the news is good. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

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

A moving meditation on the fragility of life and friendship

July 2, 2011 / / One comment

I didn’t write it.

As a writer, I wish I did; as a rider, I’m very glad I didn’t have to.

My phone rang at around 9:45PM. It was John’s girlfriend.  She didn’t know where John was.  She knew we’d been riding bikes earlier that night and asked if I knew anything.  I told her we’d parted ways at the fire station on the backside of Paradise Loop at around 7:15PM.  He had turned off early to go meet up with her.  Her voice cracked as she spoke. She started to cry.

l write a lot about the bad things that can happen on a bike. More than I ever thought I would. And far more than I really want to.

But I don’t think I’ve ever written anything as moving, and seldom as heartfelt.

I called John and got no answer.  I started calling police departments in southern Marin.  If my mind had a clear task then maybe I could ignore my rising fear.  Tiburon PD told me to call Sausalito PD.  Sausalito PD took my number and told me to await a call from the responding officer.  I told the agent this arrangement was not cool.  I asked what happened to my friend.  She said he’d been involved in an accident.  She said the responding officer was the only one who could give details.  I asked if he was alive.  She said the responding officer was the only one who could give details….

It’s beautiful and sad and heart-wrenchingly tragic. And one of the best things I’ve read about one of the worst things that can happen.

It’s not easy to read.

But well worth the effort.

Thanks to @BikeCrave and @bikesd for the heads-up.

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

15-year old Fontana cyclist killed by Metrolink train

July 2, 2011 / / 10 comments

According to the San Bernardino Sun, 15-year old Ricardo Gilberto Lizarraga was killed when he was hit by a Metrolink train around 6:20 pm Thursday.

Lizarraga was reportedly riding northbound on Sierra Avenue when he rode across the tracks into the path of the eastbound train. Google street view shows railroad crossing signals at the site, so if they were working, he should have been aware of the train coming.

This is the 34th confirmed traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 1st in San Bernardino County. Lizarraga is also the 3rd SoCal cyclist killed in a collision with a train in 2011.

Update: According to Inland News Today, the gates were lowered and the warning lights were flashing at the time of the collision; the site reports that he was using earbuds and may not have been able to hear the train. And yet, he would have had to have the music exceptionally loud to drown out a train — and that still doesn’t explain how he missed the signals. 

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

Whittier cyclists under attack; female rider severely beaten in most recent assault

June 30, 2011 / / Comments Off on Whittier cyclists under attack; female rider severely beaten in most recent assault

A 19-year old woman was severely beaten after being knocked off her bike on a Whittier bike path.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the attack took place on Wednesday around 10:30 pm on the Greenway Trail, a Class 1 off-road bike path between Painter and Greenleaf Avenues when three or four men in dark clothing pushed her off her bike. Her attackers then punched her repeatedly in the face and body, and may have kicked her, as well.

Authorities report she suffered injuries to her face, teeth, hands and elbows, as well as losing consciousness for a period of time; she was reportedly awake when police and firefighters arrived on the scene, and was transported to a local hospital.

The suspects fled when other people approached. Police say she was not robbed and the motive for the attack is unknown.

However, KTLA reports that there have been at least three other attacks in the same pathway in the past month. In one case, a man was able to fight off an attacker who tried to steal his bike, while a 16-year old boy was arrested for allegedly grabbing another man and demanding his money; no information was available on the other attack.

These cases are reminiscent of the reports of attacks on cyclists riding along the Ballona Creek bike path a few years back, and point out the inherent problem with off-road bikeways.

While they can offer a pleasant respite from the headaches and risks of riding busy streets, they are often largely isolated and hidden from public view, providing secluded areas where criminal activity may occur.

And most are rarely, if ever, patrolled by police.

In fact, when cyclists tried to report the Ballona Creek attacks, 911 operators and police officers reportedly had difficulty even identifying where the bike path was and who had jurisdiction in order to respond.

Fortunately, the Ballona attacks proved to be the rare exception, rather than the rule on that pathway, though the reports circulated widely enough that many cyclists still express reservations about riding there.

Hopefully, this latest, unidentified victim will recover from her injuries — both physical and emotional — and get back on her bike soon.

And greater enforcement will improve safety for everyone on Whittier’s Greenway Trail.

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

CCPD asks Culver City witnesses to come forward; LA bike community to hold major press event Thursday

June 29, 2011 / / 4 comments

Culver City police are asking for anyone who may have witnessed the collision earlier this month in which an alleged drunk, speeding and distracted driver collided with a group of late night riders on Jefferson Blvd.

Anyone with information is urged to come in to police headquarters to review a photo reconstruction of the event. If you were there, or know people who were, contact CCPD Officers Davis or Newman at 310-253-6254. Thanks to Jim Shanman of the Culver City Bicycle Coalition for the heads-up.

And clear your schedule for tomorrow morning, when a wide spectrum of the Los Angeles cycling community representing cyclists of all types — myself included — will come together for a press event to protest the botched LAPD investigation and biased press coverage of this case, and make a public call for safer streets and fair investigation into all cycling incidents.

……..

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Car vs Bike, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Monday’s ride, in which the mean streets of the Westside seem safer than the safety of the bike path

June 28, 2011 / / 18 comments

Something is seriously wrong when a busy shopping street feels safer than an off-road bike path.

But that was the choice I made on Monday, on what rapidly deteriorated into one of the most stressful bike rides I’ve ever taken. And one of the few times I’ve ever gotten off my bike far less relaxed than when I got on.

Another late start caused me to change my planned route, and break my cardinal rule of never riding the beachfront Marvin Braude bike path through Santa Monica and Venice after noon after Memorial Day.

And I was quickly reminded why I don’t.

It started with a couple of twenty-something couples who were coming out of a parking lot near the Annenberg Center on their way to the beach.

As I approached on the opposite side of the path, I watched as the first member of the group stepped onto the pathway without looking in either direction — right into the path of an oncoming cyclist, who had to make a panic stop on loose sand to just barely miss him.

Then, apparently having learned absolutely nothing from the experience, he stepped right in front of me, forcing me into a panic swerve to avoid him. When I made a comment about looking both ways like his mama taught him, I got a resounding chorus of “what a jerk” from the full group.

And things went downhill from there.

Take, for instance, the grandmother who led a toddler onto the pathway on the far side of a blind curve. And again, stepped out directly in front of me, without a single glance in my direction.

I wonder how she would have explained that to the child’s parents if I hadn’t been able to stop in time?

Or the unsupervised child, around five or so, who was stopped on the opposite side of the bike path, and suddenly swerved directly towards me as I was trying to slip past, forcing me into the sand to avoid him.

But I don’t blame him.

I blame the parents who were nowhere to be scene, leaving a kindergarten-aged kid to navigate a busy bikeway on his own.

And don’t even get me started on the countless groups of pedestrians who somehow managed to block both sides of the bike path as they meandered mindlessly along. Sometimes just inches from the separate pedestrian walkway they should have been using.

All of which combined to make the bike lanes along Main Street seem like the much safer choice on my return trip. And despite dodging doors and double-parked cars and trucks in the bike lane, it felt infinitely safer than the bike path I’d previously navigated just a few blocks away.

Which is absolutely shameful.

It’s one thing to share the pathway with other users, even those sections marked for bicycles only. But it’s another thing when the very people the path was intended to serve are forced to choose alternate routes because it just isn’t safe to ride.

Then again, the streets weren’t that great, either.

As I rode back up Ocean Blvd in Santa Monica, I was nearly crushed between a parked Metro bus partially blocking the bike lane and a passing 720 bus whose driver refused to surrender a single inch of his lane, despite the limited space available.

And evidently, was willing to risk my life to stay on schedule.

Then there’s the driver that right-hooked me as she pulled into the driveway of her apartment building in Brentwood, forcing me to turn along with her to avoid a collision.

By this time, though, I’d had enough.

But when I confronted her about nearly causing a collision, something totally unexpected happened.

She apologized so completely and profusely, I found myself with no idea what to say. And felt all that pent-up anger just melt away.

So I urged her to be more careful next time, more to give myself an exit line than to suggest she drive more safely, since she had clearly gotten the message. And rode off with a cascade of apologies following me down the street.

And oddly, leaving me feeling just a little more hopeful than I had been before she cut me off.

If maybe even a little more stressed.

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

74-year old cyclist killed in Blythe; 26-year old Londoner killed near Pismo Beach

June 26, 2011 / / Comments Off on 74-year old cyclist killed in Blythe; 26-year old Londoner killed near Pismo Beach

A 74-year old cyclist was killed in Blythe CA, near the Colorado River between Palm Springs and Phoenix, on Friday night.

According to the Desert Independent, David Sandoval Caldera was riding in the traffic lane on the 1400 block of W. Hobsonway around 8:30 pm when he was hit from behind by a 1999 Ford Expedition driven by Nancy Sue Pollock of Blythe. Pollock claimed she didn’t see Caldera, who was riding without lights or reflectors.

Sunset in Blythe was at 7:49 pm, which means it would have been nearing full dark at the time of the collision. Despite the gathering gloom, Caldera’s bike should have been clearly visible in the car’s headlights, assuming she was using them at that hour.

However, cyclists are required to have a headlight and rear reflector after dark, as well as side reflectors; safety concerns and common sense dictate that riders should do whatever they can to make themselves visible in low light conditions.

Caldera is the 33rd cyclist to be killed in traffic-related collisions in Southern California this year, and the fifth in Riverside County. That compares to an annual average of 7 cycling fatalities in the county in the three years from 2007 to 2009, the latest years for which statistics are currently available; prior to that, the county had 15 cycling deaths in 2005 and 14 in 2006.

……..

In another tragic case just outside the Southern California area, a 26-year old London resident was killed by an accused speeding, underaged drunk driver near Pismo Beach in San Luis Obispo County.

The cyclist, who remains unidentified pending notification of next-of-kin, was riding on Halcyon Road near Oceano around 8 pm Saturday when 20-year old Aaron Richard Ceja lost control of his Chevy Blazer at a high rate of speed. Ceja’s vehicle crossed over to the other side of the road to hit the rider head on.

According to The San Louis Obispo Tribune, he was arrested for vehicular manslaughter and suspicion of DUI causing injury.

No one should ever die just for going on a bike ride. Especially not a visitor to this country; especially not at the hands of a drunk.

My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of both victims.

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