Archive for Bicycle Safety

Breaking news — Cyclist killed in San Diego area

March 6, 2011 / / One comment

In what’s shaping up as a bad weekend for SoCal cyclists, a male rider was killed in the San Diego suburb of Lomita Sunday morning.

According the local NBC affiliate in San Diego, the collision occurred on the 8000 block of Skyline Drive at around 7:30 this morning. According to the report, the driver of the van remained at the scene.

That comes just 12 hours after last night’s hit-and-run in Ventura. No further information is available online yet on either collision.

However, it does serve as a reminder that while warmer weather brings more cyclists out onto the streets, drivers may not be looking for us yet.

So use extra caution out there.

Update: According the Lemon Grove Patch, the victim was a Hispanic male in his 50s, whose identity has not yet been publicly released. He was reportedly riding west on Skyline Drive when a van driving in the same direction veered to the right and struck the curb before hitting the cyclist.

According to a police spokesman, the driver of the van is currently considered the primary cause of the collision.

Update: The cyclist was identified as 73-year old Ignacio Manriques Sanchez of San Diego; the driver does not seem to have been publicly identified.

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

Breaking news: Cyclist killed in Ventura hit-and-run

March 5, 2011 / / One comment

A bicyclist was killed in a hit-and-run collision in Ventura Saturday evening.

According to the Ventura County Star, the collision occurred at 7:35 pm on PCH just south of Faria Beach.

No other information is available online yet; however, KABC-7 reports that a driver was arrested approximately 45 minutes after the collision.

More information as it becomes available.

Thanks to Stanley Goldich for the heads-up.

Update: According to the Ventura County Star, the CHP has identified the victim as 40-year old Santa Barbara resident Jose Luis Carmona.

Carmona was reportedly walking his mountain bike facing northbound traffic on PCH when he was struck by a car driven by 43-year old Shannon Richard of unincorporated Ventura County, who fled the scene. In a report forwarded by DC, KTVA News reports that a passing motorist saw Carmona’s bike on the side of the road; he was found lying nearby and pronounced dead from multiple blunt force trauma.

After searching the area, police discovered a vehicle with damage to the right front side. Richard admitted being the driver of the car, reportedly telling police that she thought she hit an animal. She was arrested for felony DUI, hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter.

Her two-year old daughter was also in the car at the time of the collision.

Thanks to DC for the KTVA report.

Correction: I originally wrote that the victim was from Santa Monica; I meant Santa Barbara, of course. Thanks to Dr. Michael Cahn for the correction.

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

Reimagining a more livable San Gabriel Valley; dissecting national cycling death statistics

March 4, 2011 / / 10 comments

It’s a simple question, really.

Why should L.A. area cyclists give a damn about a freight transportation project — especially one that would follow the course of the San Gabriel River, the near-mythical waterway that flows well east of Downtown, where most Angelenos fear to tread?

The answer is equally simple.

Because it has the potential to dramatically transform transportation and livability of the east L.A. basin, bringing renewed life to communities currently choked by diesel fumes and roadways gridlocked with big rigs. And at the same time, restoring one of L.A.’s concrete-clad water disposal systems to the natural, free-flowing waterway it was before fears of flooding overwhelmed common sense and drove nature to its knees.

Oh, and it includes a bike path, too.

Rick Risemberg, of Bicycle Fixation fame, wrote me last week to call my attention to a proposed project I had been only vaguely aware of, and to which I hadn’t given more than a few moments thought.

GRID — the San Gabriel River Infrastructure Development project — would replace the current system of loading cargo at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with integrated cargo cranes that would load cargo containers directly onto electric trains, cutting offloading time from 36 hours to two. And at the same time, eliminating the need for thousands of semi-trucks that currently ply the ports and clog SoCal freeways.

The trains would then run through special bunker-strength tunnels placed under the banks of the San Gabriel River up to distribution yards in the Inland Empire, where the cargo would be transferred to trains and trucks for transport throughout the country.

The result would be a dramatic reduction in freeway traffic along the 710 and 605 freeways, virtually eliminating traffic congestion and improving air quality. In fact, traffic could be reduced to such a degree that one or both of the freeways might become obsolete and candidates for removal — greatly improving the livability of an area blighted by massive roadways.

At the same time, a second tunnel could be built for passenger rail, tying into existing Metro Rail, Metrolink and Amtrak railways. Existing high-voltage power lines would also be placed in underground tunnels, freeing thousands of acres of power-line right-of-ways for redevelopment, while pipelines could be included for fresh water and sewage.

And the massive construction project would provide an opportunity to rip out the concrete banks of the river, and return it to the natural riparian basin it was before we felt the need to “improve” it. The result would be a natural riverway lined with parks, wetlands and nature preserves, as well as what would undoubtedly be one of the area’s most beautiful and popular bikeways along the full course of the river.

Yes, it would be expensive. Costs would undoubtedly rise well into the billions, if not more.

But it would provide tens of thousands of good, high-paying jobs in the short term, just as construction of the Hoover Dame did during the last Great Depression. And in the long term, it would result in savings and tax revenues that could far exceed the cost to build it, while providing much needed wildlife habitat and improving the quality of life for every community along its banks.

And it would eliminate the need for the much-debated tunnel under South Pasadena to complete the 710 freeway — which would free up hundreds of millions of dollars to pay for construction costs, while preserving the quality of life in one of the area’s most livable communities.

Of course, getting a massive, expensive project like this approved by today’s small-thinking, auto-centric Tea Party-addled Congress would be challenging, to say the least — even though it would be build largely, if not entirely, through private funding.

Then again, a couple of years ago, I would never have imagined that a bike-friendly L.A. might happen in my lifetime, either.

.………

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released statistics for bicycling deaths in 2009; 630 cyclists were killed in the U.S. and another 51,000 injured. That works out to 2% of all traffic deaths, as well as 2% of traffic injuries, and marks a 12% reduction over 2008.

Contrary to common perception, only one-third of the deaths occurred at intersections, while 72% occurred during daylight hours — though they define daylight as anytime between 4 am and 8 pm.

The average age of cyclists killed and injured on the streets has gradually risen over the previous 10 years to 41; cyclists under the age of 16 accounted for just 13% of fatalities and 20% of injuries. Seven times more men were killed than women, and four times as many men were injured.

Forty percent of fatalities involved alcohol use; surprisingly, 28% of the cyclists who were killed had been drinking.

California had more than it’s share of fatalities, with 99 cyclists killed; 3.2% of the total 3,081 traffic fatalities. That works out to 2.68 bicycling fatalities per one million residents, which places us in the top ten most dangerous states per capita. Yet that pales compared to Delaware and Florida — which once again ranks as the nation’s deadliest state to ride, with 107 cycling fatalities — at 6.78 and 5.77 fatalities per million residents, respectively.

Main, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and the District of Columbia had no bicyclists killed in 2009.

Just in case you’re thinking about moving somewhere a little safer.

.………

Rick Risemberg endorses bike advocate Stephen Box for L.A.’s 4th Council District, with some reservations. LACBC calls on cyclists to bike the vote, offering survey responses from some of the city’s council candidates. Grist says the new bike plan shows the cabbie who ran Mayor Villaraigosa deserves a big, fat tip, while the National Resources Defense Council says the plan paves the way for a greener Los Angeles. The L.A. Times endorses the bike plan, though that might have carried more weight before the council vote.

Tree Hugger offers a list of bike Twitter accounts to follow; Joe Anthony’s Bike Commute News and Long Beach expats PathLessPedaled were the only Southern Californians to make the list. A bike ride a day could keep the doctor away. Utah shoots down a proposed Idaho Stop bill. While New York police continue to crack down on cyclists, they continue to ignore far more dangerous behavior by drivers; the Wall Street Journal says Gotham cyclists really aren’t that bad. Protected bike paths increase riding while easing congestion. The New York assemblyman who proposed a law requiring license plates for all cyclists has wisely withdrawn his bill. Fairfax VA’s bike coordinator position is under attack as a “political statement position.”

Finally, a ban on biking London’s South Bank is reversed, and considerate cyclists are now welcomed. And a British drivers’ organization says kids should glow in the dark; maybe we should require anyone under 16 to wear a flashing neon sign that says “Don’t Hit Me.”

After all, there’s obviously no point in asking drivers to pay attention.

Category: Best of, Injuries and Fatalities, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , ,

Riverside cyclist killed by train; more on the new bike plan and press conference

March 2, 2011 / / 5 comments

Somehow I missed this one while I was tied up with the bike plan this week.

According to the Riverside Press-Enterprise, a 26-year old Riverside man was killed on Tuesday when he was hit by a train.

The cyclist, who has not been publicly identified pending notification of next of kin, was riding with his girlfriend on Adams Street east of Highway 91 while they waited for a train to pass. After the train had gone by, he rode around the crossing arm barriers and directly into the path of a second train coming in the opposite direction.

He died in a local hospital several hours later, after suffering head injuries and broken bones; according to the Press-Enterprise, it was the 3rd similar incident in the last two years.

Evidently, some people think that’s funny.

Update: The victim was identified as 26-year old Roberto Garcia.

.………

A few photos from today’s press conference and rally to celebrate the City Council’s unanimous passage of the new bike plan.

LACBC board member Scott Moore poses with a very happy 4th District Councilmember Tom LaBonge.

There was a great turnout of cyclists, as well as the press.

Cyclists of every description were in attendance.

This is what the bike plan is really about — so kids like Sammy Newton will enjoy a much safer and more livable L.A. than the one we know today.

.………

More on yesterday’s passage of the new bike plan, and Wednesday’s rally to celebrate it.

CD 11 Councilmember Bill Rosendahl offers a letter of thanks to the bicycling community for their work on the bike plan, while KCET talks with him about making it a reality.

LADOT Bike Blog provides a great recap of Wednesday’s rally and press conference, as does LACBC. KABC-7 reports on Wednesday’s rally, and has the exceptional good taste to lead off by talking with yours truly, while Streetsblog offers a photoblog of the day’s highlights. Josef Bray-Ali offers a look at the City Council session — including video — as well as the BPIT (Bike Plan Implementation Plan) meeting that followed, and offers some great photographs. Highland Park Patch gets Josef’s take on the plan, while Mar Vista Patch says it’s designed to wean us off our dependency on cars, while calling for more of those “bike friendly logos.”

Richard Risemberg says the door zone matters. GOOD provides an in-depth examination of what the new plan means. City Maven says doubts remain about the city’s ability to fund the plan; then again,  there’s also some question whether the city’s deficit-reduced staff has the manpower to pull it off. The Daily Bruin looks at how it will affect the UCLA area. KPCC’s Larry Mantle talks with LADOT’s Michelle Mowery and LACBC’s Jen Klausner in advance of Tuesday’s Council vote.

And Bikeside astutely notes that the plan has to be about more than bike lanes.

.………

CicLAvia is looking for volunteers and working with neighborhood councils to ensure success, while Lance Armstrong tweets his plans to join in on the next one April 10th.

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What’s your vision for reinventing Highland Park’s York Blvd? Thursday Twitter chat #bikeschool interviews L.A.’s own car-free Joe Anthony, aka @ohaijoe. CD4 candidate Stephen Box is hosting a series of campaign bike rides on Sunday in advance of Tuesday’s vote. Glendale’s new bike count offers a chance to improve safety. Burbank is planning a bike tour of the Magnolia Park area on April 2nd. Long Beach meets Thursday for another workshop on that city’s new bike plan. Felony hit-and-run charges have been filed against a Patterson woman who killed a 27-year old Northridge native, who initially claimed she had hit a dog. Bike lanes are planned for a dangerous intersection where cyclist Lauren Ward was killed last November.

Tucson Velo goes car light. A cyclist prepares to shatter records for the Iditarod Trail Invitational bike race — 350 miles through the Alaskan wilderness in the dead of winter. Trial begins for the Colorado driver accused of attacking two cyclists with a baseball bat. Chicago’s newly completed bike count could help make the city friendlier to bike riders. A Memphis police officer plans to create an indoor bike park. Removing traffic capacity can actually improve traffic flow — unless drivers act selfishly. Why North American driver seem to sympathize with road rage. How to light yourself up for nighttime riding. Panasonic offers a new e-bike to help keep your kids fat and out of shape.

Finally, it turns out that New York’s infamous War On Cars is a myth, and that cyclists won’t have to worry about their proposed bike license plate law after all.

And your word for the day: bikelash.

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

Talking back to L.A. Weekly, Newport Beach decides it’s safe enough, a London look at U.S. car culture

February 26, 2011 / / 9 comments

A cyclist, bike activist and long-time volunteer responds to the recent L.A. Weekly article about Stephen Box and the rise of bike activism in the city, complaining that more than just straight, white males were instrumental in building the bike community, including himself.

He makes a very valid point.

It doesn’t detract in the slightest from the amazing efforts of CD4 candidate Stephen Box and the others mentioned in the story to note that the LACBC and other groups, such as C.I.C.L.E., Midnight Ridazz and Bikeside and other groups, have done a lot to make this city safer and more inviting for cyclists of all types. As well as the efforts of countless individuals of every possible description, working together and on their own, to advance the cause of cycling in Los Angeles.

Singling out any one person or group, however deserving, ignores the efforts of everyone else who has done what they can to make this a better place to ride.

And we wouldn’t be where we are today without all of them.

Be sure to read the comments, as well. And thanks to Chris Kidd for the heads up.

.………

Newport Beach, home of yet another cycling fatality this week, plans to shut down the city’s Bike Safety Committee at the end of this year.

Evidently, the recent crackdown on dangerous riders and drivers has solved all their safety problems, and local cyclists can now ride the city’s streets without worry. Even though Amine Britel was the fourth cyclist killed in the city in just the last two years. And even though he was killed just days after the first weekend of the crackdown.

Or maybe they expect to solve any remaining problems during the second weekend this Saturday and Sunday — despite the fact that this seemingly wealthy seaside city can’t afford to buy a single Share the Road sign. Let alone one that says Bikes May Use Full Lane.

Because, you know, they still have to pay for that new $131 million City Hall.

Meanwhile, Danae Miller, the driver arrested for killing Britel, never had enough points charged against it to have her license suspended, despite receiving somewhere between 15 and 17 tickets in the last five years, depending on who’s doing the counting.

And a writer for the Examiner questions whether the law should be changed to keep people like her off the road.

If that’s what it takes, I’m all in favor.

.………

London’s Guardian offers an overseas look at America’s car culture — and trust me, it’s not pretty. However, there may be hope:

Before Communist China became partner with Capitalist America in a new world order of union-free sweatshops, Americans used to laugh at all the bicycles on Chinese streets. Now, as the Chinese become more car-dependent, as their cities become more clogged and polluted, many Americans are rediscovering the pleasures, healthiness and sanity of bicycling or walking. Suddenly, a street full of bikes seems positively idyllic. In a country, and empire, in a downward spiral, this will be one of the few changes for the better.

Riding and walking through one’s community at a more human pace, one will also regain one’s sense of belonging. One will also discover that one has two legs, arms and a set of lungs. Sprung from the steel prison of the automobile, Americans will be glad to see other faces and limbs. They will realise that they actually have neighbours.

.………

Grab another cup of coffee, and relax with our longest ever list of upcoming events:

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

Call it the art of bike maintenance, as C.I.C.L.E. and Bikerowave team with the Santa Monica Museum of Art at 2525 Michigan Avenue in Santa Monica, for a tour of the museum, bike maintenance workshop and a mini-ride through the neighborhood on Saturday. The free event requires preregistration and will be cancelled in the event of rain. Note: The workshop has been rescheduled for 1:30 pm due to this weekend’s storm.

Mr. Bicycle Fixation, Rick Risemberg, invites cyclists to join him for a birthday ride on Sunday, Feb. 27th; riders meet at Sabor y Cultura at Hollywood and Gramercy at 10:30 am.

Also on Sunday, 4th District City Council  candidate Stephen Box partners with Flying Pigeon LA to provide free bike repair and service at the Hollywood Farmers Market, 1600 Ivar Avenue in Hollywood.

The long and difficult path to a new bike plan should come to a completion when the L.A. City Council takes it up for final consideration at 10 am on Tuesday, March 1st at Downtown City Hall, 200 North Spring Street.

The 2nd meeting of the Bike Plan Implementation Team (BPIT) takes place from 2 pm to 3:30 pm on Tuesday, March 1st following the council meeting in room 721 of the Downtown City Hall, 200 North Spring Street.

Make a full bike day of it by helping plan CicLAvia’s advance to the Eastside with a meeting at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, March 1st on extending the route into Boyle Heights, Roosevelt High School cafeteria, 456 South Mathews Street, Los Angeles.

Celebrate the presumed victory of the bike plan with a rally and press conference in front of City Hall from 9:30 am to 10 am on Wednesday the 2nd.

Streetsblog LA somehow managed to survive the terrible twos. So come out and celebrate its third birthday at Downtown’s Spring Street Bar, 626 S. Spring Street, beginning at 5 pm on Friday, March 4th; RSVP and help spread the word on Facebook.

GOOD is hosting a fundraising party for CicLAvia from 2 to 7 pm on March 5th, at Atwater Crossing, 3229 Casitas Ave in Los Angeles; tickets range from $20 to $500. As part of the fundraiser, leading L.A. bike activist and Creek Freak Joe Linton will lead a very short, family friendly ride starting at 1:30 pm.

The third LACBC Sunday Funday ride will roll 62 miles through the North San Gabriel Valley on Sunday, March 6th. Lead by board member Alex Amerri, the fast-paced ride for advanced cyclists will explore the area’s architectural and historical highlights; riders assemble at 8:30 am at Parking Lot K at the Rose Bowl, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive in Pasadena, with the ride starting at 9 am.

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.

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

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.

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 registration is 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 Jewish cyclists will have to choose between atoning and having something else to atone for.

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L.A. authorizes work on a key quarter-mile stretch of bikeway at the confluence of the Arroyo Seco and L.A. River. KCET’s Departures talks with LACBC River Ride coordinator JJ Hoffman about the comeback of the L.A. River. Santa Monica issues a BOLO alert for a bike convicted sex offender. Long Beach’s biking expats will make their next big adventure on much smaller wheels. A San Diego man has his throat slashed trying to protect his bike from a thief. The Union-Tribune says San Diego area governments plan to spend $2.58 billion — yes, billion — on biking infrastructure over the next 40 years, and profiles one of my favorite bike bloggers, Sam Ollinger of Bike San Diego. San Francisco Streetsblog interviews the city’s new bike friendly mayor. San Mateo police recover a $10,000 stolen bike that had been sold on Craigslist; what was it made of, crude oil? U.C. Berkeley police agree to stop giving cyclists expensive tickets for failing to dismount.

Bicycle Retailer starts a search for the bike shop dog of the year; and no, you can’t borrow my corgi. Your car sucks $7,000 out of the local economy every year. Sarah Goodyear asks why people in cars hate bikes so much. Dave Moulton looks at two epic rides. Tucson gets green bike lanes. Seattle’s bike friendly mayor forgets to lock his bike; you can figure the rest out. Chicago gets a bike crash map overlaid with bike count data. Zac Efron rides a bike on the set of his new movie. A New York State Senator wisely observes that if we want more order on the streets, we have to be part of that order. A New York Councilman says the controversial Prospect Park West bike lanes have reduced speeding, accidents, injuries and riding on the sidewalk, while increasing ridership and overall commuting rates — without increasing travel time; well gee, no wonder they hate it. The bike lane controversy spreads across the river to Hoboken when a local news station stuck firmly in the past suggests more parking should given a higher priority over bike lanes; could someone please send them Donald Shoup’s book? Unbelievably, Tennessee authorities acknowledge that a dump truck driver veered off the road “for unknown reasons” to seriously injure a cyclist, yet decline to file charges; evidently, maintaining control of your vehicle is optional there. A Virginia cyclist compares riding solo on the streets to battered wife syndrome; perhaps she used to ride in Tennessee. A Mobile man gets five years for the hit-and-run death of Czech student.

A Vancouver cyclist says a bike is an invitation to a hate crime, while another says Critical Mass is rude and selfish. According to the BBC, the key to happiness is work, sleep and bicycles; they just described my life, aside from the parts about work and sleep. France’s third-largest city makes great strides in welcoming bikes. After Alberto Contador walks on doping charges, Austrian Michael Knopf is banned for four years for supplying other cyclists with banned substances. Kiwi correspondent the Trickster points us to the tragic death a biking bricklayer killed by falling bricks during Tuesday’s earthquake; Olympic bronze medalist Sam Bewley is auctioning a signed jersey from New Zealand’s winning pursuit team to benefit earthquake victims. Guam is urged to add bike lanes to all major streets; be nice to see that here, too.

Finally, a beautiful Italian DEI bike catalog from 1933; thanks to Ross X for the link. And maybe one day you’ll be able to ride your bike past L.A.’s Downtown streetcar.

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

Orange County claims yet another biking victim

February 21, 2011 / / 26 comments

Just days after a police crackdown on cyclists and drivers intended to reduce Orange County’s one-a-month rate of cycling deaths, another cyclist has been killed on the county’s streets.

According to Corona del Mar Today, a cyclist described only as a middle-aged man was hit and killed on San Joaquin Hills Road east of Spyglass Hill Road in Newport Beach around 6 pm Monday. The unidentified 22-year old suspected drunk driver was booked on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicate, with bail set at $100,000. An earlier report placed the time of the collision at 5:59 pm; the rider was pronounced dead at the scene.

More details as they become available.

But here’s the thing.

Despite protestations from some quarters, bad bicyclist behavior does not cause most bicycling deaths. Bad driving does.

Even a cursory examination of cyclists killed in Orange County recently suggests that the problem isn’t cyclists running stop signs, riding two abreast or even flipping off drivers, as obnoxious as that may be.

They died at the hands of drunk, high or careless drivers. Simply put, no crackdown on rider behavior would have done a damn thing to save the lives of Michael Nine, Donald Murphy or Alan Earl Miller.

Or nine-year-old Nicholas Vela, who was killed as he rode in a crosswalk in front of a monster truck, whose driver couldn’t see him because the truck was jacked up so high.

Nor did this rider, whoever he may turn out to be, apparently do anything to cause his own death, other than take to the streets at the same time a drunk was behind the wheel. And apparently, there is no shortage of those behind the Orange Curtain.

Orange County clearly has serious problems.

But they’re not going to solve them by targeting the victims.

Update: The driver has been identified as Danae Marie Miller of Newport Coast; no word yet on the victim.

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

Explaining the rules of the road, and your President’s Day links

February 21, 2011 / / One comment

Gary Kavanagh of Gary Rides Bikes offers a clear and insightful explanation of the often misunderstood rules of the road, particularly as they apply to his home in Santa Monica.

And as usual, he does an exceptional job of explaining the hows and whys of bike and traffic safety, and how to share the road safely.

To have a truly sustainable city, being able to get around by foot and bike is an essential component. However, if some people live in fear of walking or cycling in the city, which is often the case presently, it not only undermines sustainability, it effects the quality of life in the community….

I do feel that motorists ultimately have the biggest responsibility in promoting safety since drivers are in the position to cause the greatest harm. When drivers don’t know the rules of the road, they sometimes lash out and try to intimidate cyclists in fits of rage. I cannot count the number of times I have been screamed or honked at for doing nothing at all wrong under the law. Then, when some cyclists flee the road to ride the sidewalks as a response to such harassment, we get the string of complaints about sidewalk riding by those on foot. While yes, a cyclist riding on the sidewalk in Santa Monica is in the wrong—outside Santa Monica the rules are more fuzzy, which adds much confusion—ultimately, I believe it is a failure of our transportation system and our culture that cyclists have a right to the road under law, but frequently do not feel they belong there or are welcomed there.

Seriously, read it. Then send it to every cyclist and driver you know.

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Mr. Bicycle Fixation, Rick Risemberg, invites cyclists to join him for a birthday ride next Sunday, Feb. 27th. Over 80 cyclists ride 50 miles from the Eastside to OC in support of the Dream Act. Good says better designed streets are coming to L.A. Bikeside takes LADOT to task for what it considers the wrong applications for Metro’s call for projects, though LADOT Bike Blog offers a few corrections; meanwhile, Bikeside is working on version 2.0 of their innovative L.A. Bike Map. The C-Blog writes about how to choose an adult bike. Palo Alto’s California Ave is scheduled for a diet. The Claremont Cyclist offers great photos from the first day of the LAVRA Cup at the Los Angele Velodrome. Just Another Cyclist says he wants his sport back; I know exactly how he feels.

Boulder CO’s bike corral program appears to be a roaring success; Columbia MO may get another one. Austin TX may finally get its first bike boulevard this summer. A look at New York’s possibly illegal pedicab king. A Virginia bike commuter beats his motorist coworker home by five hours in a recent blizzard. An Alabama cyclist writes about the dangers posed by distracted drivers. According to reports, a Ft. Meyers FL woman rode her bike into the path of a van in America’s deadliest state for cyclists; odd how careless and/or suicidal cyclists can be in police and news reports.

Not surprisingly, Riccardo Ricco has been fired following a botched self-administered transfusion. A group of bike activists ride through Quebec in the dead of winter to call for year-round bikeway maintenance. The UK’s BikeAware calls for bike training to be part of the driver’s test. Irish man is awarded €48,000 — $65,640 — when he went over his handlebars after having his bike serviced. Kraft Canada donates 4,000 bikes to cocoa workers in Ghana to help their children stay in school. Taylor Phinney crashes out on the final stage of his first professional race in the Tour of Oman; fortunately, he seems to have come out of it okay.

Finally, Malaysian cyclist Azizulhasni Awang has an 8” splinter from the Manchester Velodrome driven all the way through his calf in a fall — and still manages to finish third, winning a third consecutive World Cup Overall title in the process; thanks to Todd Munson for the heads-up.

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

Tour de Fat sets a date, Malibu Sheriffs don’t get it, and 6 month suspension for killing Roger Grooters

February 17, 2011 / / 4 comments

“Oh I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.” — Elvis Costello, (The Angels Want to Wear My) Red Shoes

One quick breaking news note:

Tour de Fat has officially set a date for this year’s return engagement, coming back to Los Angeles on October 8th. Better yet, that’s one day before the city’s 4th scheduled CicLAvia, making for a full weekend celebration of cycling in L.A.

The bad news is, October 8th is also Yom Kippur.

You’d think someone would check the calendar before scheduling a date in a city with such a large Jewish community, many of whom are active cyclists. And might appreciate having a day full of beer and bikes to atone for.

.………

File this one under the heading of They Just Don’t Get It.

Malibu City Council approved a three-hour Bicycle Safety public workshop, to be held on a Saturday morning at a date to be determined. Great news so far, as cyclists have been pushing for an open discussion of the problems we face riding in and through the ‘Bu, while city officials — particularly members of the city’s Public Safety Commission — have been surprisingly open to dialogue with the biking community.

And then there’s the Sheriff’s Department.

“It should be noted that the Sheriff’s department expressed concern about whether a workshop would be a benefit to the city’s goals of improved safety. During previous discussions with members of cycling organizations and bike clubs, the Sheriff’s liaison stated that the cyclists continued to disagree with the Sheriff’s interpretation of the law. There was additional concern expressed that the goal to open communication between motorists and cyclists would not likely be achieved through the workshop as it is doubtful that many non-cycling members of the public would consider attending,” the staff memo adds.

So, discussion is only worthwhile when we think they’re right?

Maybe we continue to disagree because the Sheriff’s Department in Malibu continues to interpret state law incorrectly. Despite the best efforts of cyclists to point out that we do in fact have a legal right to ride in the traffic lane, and that nothing in state law prohibits riding side-by-side in order to safely control the lane when necessary, even — or especially — on busy highways like PCH.

And somehow, given the passionate hatred expressed towards cyclists by some Malibu residents, I doubt getting the non-riding public to attend will be a problem.

.………

Oh. My. God.

The driver who ran down cross-country cyclist and former USC Athletic Department employee Roger Grooters has had his license suspended for just six months and fined a paltry $1,160 by a Florida judge.

Six lousy months of being prohibited from driving — and no jail time — after carelessly killing another human being. Before being allowed back on the roads to do it again to someone else.

That isn’t even a slap on the wrist. They might as well have given him a cigar and a pat on the back for reducing the state’s surplus cyclist population.

Clearly, life is cheap in Florida.

There are no words. At least, none that I’d want to use here.

But I can tell you where I won’t be spending my next vacation.

.………

In our continuing coverage of former Tour de France winners accused of doping, Lance officially retired once again on Wednesday. Contador’s decision to ride this year’s Giro may be a polite way to avoid being banned from Le Tour, while Spanish meat producers say he’s full of mierda. A physician says he was fired from a Spanish bike team when he refused to dope the riders. And UCI threatens to sue Floyd Landis over his allegations of a cover-up; Dave Moulton says Landis has a right to be ticked off.

If you’re as disgusted as I am with all the endless doping and cheating charges, denials and countercharges, try following the Twitter feed of rising star Taylor Phinney, whose cheerful optimism could restore your faith in pro cycling.

Or even in humanity.

.………

The Seattle Times offers an in-depth and very insightful look at the seemingly inevitable conflicts between drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, and the anger that springs from it. If you don’t read any of the other links on here today, read this one.

Meanwhile, Seattle Bike Blog asks how you handle anger while you’re riding. And the Wall Street Journal says if road rage wasn’t bad enough, now we have to deal with sidewalk rage.

.………

Santa Monica’s Planning and Community Development Department invites you to participate in a special workshop to help transform the Bergamot area into an urban transit village, including pedestrian and bike linkages to the Expo Line, Bergamot Arts Center and other destinations. The meeting takes place from 6:30 – 9 pm tonight at Pier 59 Studios, 2415 Michigan Ave in Bergamot Station.

Bike Long Beach is hosting a bike ride for the city’s next Bicycle Master Plan workshop this Saturday, Feb. 19th. The ride departs from the Silverado Park Community Center, 1545 W. 31st Street at 10 am; the workshop begins at 11:30 am. And take a look at what they’ve accomplished already.

.………

A new petition urges Maryland to stop senseless bicycle deaths; then again, do any bicycle deaths make sense? Maybe it’s time to take something like this nationwide. Thanks to Kim for the heads-up.

.………

Big bike happenings Downtown this week as DTLA Bikes opened on Wednesday, and the city’s first bike corral officially opens Friday. If you liked October’s first CicLAvia, you’ll love April’s on the same route. Glendale’s Safe and Healthy Streets Plan moves forward to make the city safer for cyclists and pedestrians; meanwhile, Glendale and Burbank cooperate to request Metro funds for transportation improvements, including a bike boulevard on Kenneth Road. At least some San Diego business people get that bikes are good for business, encouraging people to Bike the Boulevard this Saturday. The 2011 NorCal High School mountain bike racing season kicks off Feb. 27th; why didn’t they have that when I was in school?

Sunset Magazine lists bike sharing, bike planning and car-free festivals — including CicLAvia — among their top 100 cultural trends in the West. Actor Matthew Modine and filmmaker David Holbrooke will host a nationwide mountain bike event on October 8th — yes, once again on Yom Kippur — to call attention to women’s rights in Afghanistan; then again, you haven’t mountain biked until you’ve bombed straight down a volcano. Bikes in the national parks are not just for tourists. The 17-year old Utah driver who killed a cyclist because her vision was obscured by birthday balloons will face misdemeanor charges. Bike Portland offers an alternate explanation for a recent cycling death. Favorable results are in for Portland’s cycle track and buffered bike lanes. The rich and powerful try to take down New York’s Prospect Park West bike lanes, including former NYDOT Commissioner Iris Weinshall and her husband, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. Current ABC and former CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour rolls on two wheels. In an all-too-familiar story, a Florida family is devastated when the father is killed in a cycling collision. In case you ever wanted to see what it’s like to vicariously run down a jay walking cyclist, here’s your chance.

In a typically illogical, knee-jerk motorhead response, a UK Member of Parliament suggests banning bikes from a highway to keep cyclists from getting killed, rather than doing something to keep drivers from killing them. A new car hood design promises to protect cyclists and pedestrians in collisions; instead of building safer cars, why not make safer drivers? Creative things to do with old bike parts. An Irish man accidently runs down and kills his own biking father. A triple confrontation with a road raging driver convinces a Sydney rider that angry drivers can make a cyclist’s life hell. Kiwi cyclists call for repealing New Zealand’s mandatory helmet law.

Finally, KCET’s Departures offers an exceptional in-depth look at the abused, and slowly recovering, L.A. River from the Headwaters to the Sepulveda Basin. Kudos to KCET; this one of the best examples I’ve seen of using online media to tell a story. Meanwhile, Flying Pigeon blogger Rick Risemberg looks at the graffiti and grace of the Downtown section of the river and its bike path.

Congratulations to new LACBC board members Lourdes Lopez, Steve Boyd and Carrie Ungerman.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, General, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , ,

Victim and driver in San Diego street sweeper death identified; it just gets sadder

February 15, 2011 / / 6 comments

I often complain about the lack of information about bicycle collisions.

Usually, we’re lucky if the story merits a few paragraph’s in the paper. A bare description that a motor vehicle hit a cyclist, or the other way around; maybe the name of the victim and the driver. Sometimes not even that.

Then there are times when the press does its job, and we learn about the victim and the driver.

Too often, it just makes the whole story that much more tragic.

That’s what happened today in the sad, infuriating case of a San Diego cyclist killed when the driver of a street sweeper fell asleep behind the wheel last Friday.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the victim, Suntat Peverley, was a lab tech who had worked for UCSD Medical Center for the past 10 years. A popular lead phlebotomist with the Internal Medicine Group, he leaves behind a wife and two children.

Meanwhile, 77-year old Fred Franklin Fuller wasn’t just the driver of the street sweeper, he also owned the company. After sweeping parking lots for 33 years, he’d turned the business over to his son, but started driving again after his son died just three weeks ago. Tragically, Fuller’s wife also died about the same time.

Not surprisingly, he told police investigators that he hadn’t been sleeping well lately.

Fuller shouldn’t have been behind the wheel. Not at his age. Not in his physical condition. Not in his emotional state, after suffering two tragic loses so recently.

Maybe he thought working would ease the pain and give him something to do; maybe he felt like he didn’t have any choice.

There seems to be no question that he was at fault. The only question is what the consequences will be, whether he’ll be charged, and if he will be able to live with what he’s done after suffering so much tragedy already.

We know what the consequences were for Peverley. His wife will have to go on without the love and support of her husband. His children will grow up without a father.

This whole case is just too heartbreaking for words.

Sometimes, I really wish I didn’t know the details.

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

San Diego cyclist killed by sleeping 77-year old street sweeper

February 13, 2011 / / 22 comments

Just a week after San Diego cyclist Ben Acree was killed in a highly questionable collision, another San Diego-area rider has been killed in truly horrifying incident.

The still unidentified 44-year old San Diego-area cyclist was riding in a marked bike lane on Genesee Ave near Clairemont Mesa Blvd Drive in the Clairemont neighborhood at about 5;20 pm on Friday. According to police reports, a 77-year old street sweeper operator fell asleep at the wheel, drifted into the bike lane and struck the bike from behind.

Clearly, there are still a lot of questions to be answered. Not the least of which is why a 77-year old man was operating heavy equipment like that — in rush hour traffic, no less.

I don’t know if the driver will be held accountable.

But I’m pretty sure the person who put him there should be.

Update: The victim has been identified as Suntat Peverley of Mira Mesa, just north of the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station. My condolences to his family and loved ones.

And once again, the press feels a need to note that the victim in a bicycle collision was wearing a helmet, as if that means it wasn’t his fault he was killed. What part of he was run down by a street sweeper don’t they get? In a situation like that, a helmet isn’t going to make a bit of difference — and clearly, it didn’t.

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