Heartbreaking story from Michigan, where the brother of a fallen bike rider took his own bicycle to the exact spot where his brother was run down, and finished the ride his brother couldn’t.
Boston considers cutting speed limits to 20 mph to improve safety, while an advocate called for doing something about the city’s stroads — multi-lane thoroughfares that represent a cross between a road and a street.
After struggling to write something, anything, over the past few days, it’s become clear that the idea I could return to work this week was overly optimistic.
To say the least.
So let’s just throw in the towel on our daily Morning Links updates for now, and try again next week.
We will have a guest post from my former Iditarod sled-dog racing brother tomorrow, as he recounts the tale of his snowy, 1000+ mile late fall bike tour from the Pacific Northwest to his home in Western California.
No dogs involved. Even if the weather was more appropriate for it at times.
And I’ll be available for any breaking news, which hopefully won’t.
With a little luck, the pain will finally let up and my head will clear, and I’ll see you back here next week.
After writing about yesterday’s fatal bike crash in Koreatown, and spending far too much time making preparations for my upcoming knee surgery, there’s just no time left to write today’s Morning Links and get it online.
As usual, we’ll be back tomorrow to catch up on anything we missed.
And if anyone knows a good, reliable, corgi-friendly dog walker, let me know.
And that includes requiring Complete Streets on state-owned surface streets such as LA’s Sepulveda and Santa Monica Blvd, and Pacific Coast Highway in the ‘Bu.
SB 127, sponsored by San Francisco State Senator Scott Weiner, would shift the focus of California’s transportation department to serving all road users, not just the ones in the big, dangerous machines. Unlike what it has done throughout its existence.
It would also require state transportation funding programs to prioritize pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
Senator Wiener said his goals with S.B.127 are threefold: to increase safety, to help people live healthier lives by encouraging more use of active transportation modes, and to create better climate outcomes by giving people the option to use environmentally friendly travel modes. “That can only happen if it’s safe to do so,” he said.
“Caltrans has historically treated these surface streets as if they were the same as a major traditional highway,” said Senator Wiener, “and they’re not. We need to make sure these streets are safe for all users.”
The bill will undoubtedly meet opposition from entrenched motorist interests, just like any other recent Complete Streets bill that seems to threaten the automotive hegemony on our streets.
But it could make a real, and lasting, difference in the way Californians get around.
Unbelievable. A road raging Illinois driver repeatedly slammed into a bike rider, then ran over him, breaking his arm, leg and pelvis, before she was arrested driving away with his bike still stuck under her SUV. Then was acquitted of attempted murder and six other felony counts a year later by reason of insanity. By that standard, there are a lot of crazy people behind the wheel. Thanks again to Phillip Young.
Chicago and New York both held extensive public meetings on how and where to expand their public bikeshare systems — and promptly ignored the results.
Great story about a Cat 2 bike racer from Arkansas, who lost his leg as a result of a crash while playing bike polo — then won a national championship in individual pursuit, along with another silver and a bronze, at the recent Paralympic National Championships.
And if you’re riding your bike while drunk as a skunk and tossing the empties, half empties and full cans into your bike trailer, put a damn light on it already.
Between last night’s bad news, and a bout of high sugar caused by a minor medical procedure, I haven’t been able write a word of today’s Morning Links.
And at 1:30 in the morning, it’s a little late to start. Especially on something that usually takes me four to five hours to finish.
As much as I hate to do it — especially this early in the year and just one day removed from taking the holidays off — I’m going to have to give up on getting anything done tonight.
We’ll be back as usual tomorrow, and catch up on anything you might have missed today.
So get out and ride your bike. And take a few minutes to read yesterday’s epic post-holiday post if you haven’t already.
I’ll see you back here bright and early on Friday.
Thanks to Eric L, Michael D, Hamid V, Don E’s Store, Penny S, Gregory S and Brian N for their generous donations to support this site. And to everyone who gave to the BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive this year.
As usual, we’ll be taking off between the holidays to spend time with family and do a little work behind the scenes. But as always, we’ll be available to bring you any breaking news in the meantime.
Please accept my best wishes for joyful Christmas, and a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year.
And ride safely. I want to see you back here bright and early on January 2nd.
Any amount is truly and deeply appreciated, no matter how large or small, to help keep this site coming your way every day. And ensure the Corgi has a little kibble under her tree Christmas morning.
Apparently, the new WordPress 5.0 has broken my site. After installing the upgrade Thursday night, I’m no longer able to access any of the internal pages — including the ones I’d need to fix this train wreck.
Hopefully we can get this fixed, and be back on Monday.