Archive for General

Vote now for Bicycle Friendly Business Districts; new bike study shows what we already know

April 15, 2013 / / 2 comments

I was just about to put this when the news broke about the bombings in Boston.

Somehow, posting it then just didn’t seem right. But maybe, by now, you need a break from the fast flying rumors.

Lord knows I do.

And while I’m tempted to just wait until tomorrow, these links aren’t getting any fresher. And this piece is certainly long enough as it is.

So here’s today’s post, just as it was it going to be earlier today. I haven’t changed anything, so if something comes off wrong in retrospect, I apologize.

Just remember, in regards to what happened today, much, if not most, of what you’ve read and heard today will later turn out to be wrong.

So let’s wait to point the finger.

And take the news with a grain, if not a bag, of salt. The truth will come out soon enough. 

And in the meantime, I hope you’ll join me in offering a prayer, or whatever you’re comfortable with, for all those killed or injured in the bombings. No one should ever die or suffer a life-changing injury just because they ran, or watched, a race.

Just as no one should ever die just because they rode a bike.

………

Only two more days to vote for a proposal to create Bicycle Friendly Business Districts throughout the Los Angeles area. If you haven’t voted yet, take a moment and do it now.

Or if you need another good cause, CicLAvia is in the running for some money, as well.

………

Minneapolis conducts a study of bicycling collisions, and concludes that the safety in numbers effect is real and quantifiable.

They also discover that most bike crashes are a result of drivers not seeing or yielding to bicyclists, and bicyclists not riding in a predictable matter.

In other equally startling results, they found that the sun usually does rise in the east, and the bear does, in fact, poop in the woods.

As it turns out, spandex-clad scofflaws are actually more law abiding than the general driving public. But you knew that, right?

And US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood calls for zero tolerance for drivers who don’t respect the rights of bicyclists on the road. No further word on LaHood’s impending retirement; personally, I move we make him DOT chief for life.

Meanwhile, a new study says thinking may be the most dangerous thing a driver can do behind the wheel.

Which suggests that many motorists may have nothing to worry about.

………

Always carry a spare when you’re riding on the bike path.

………

Still no suspects in the gruesome hit-and-run that dragged cyclist Damian Kevitt onto the 5 Freeway. The LAPD points out, correctly, that while a traffic collision may not be a crime, driving away from one is. The eighth edition of L.A.’s toughest hill climb event takes place on the last Sunday of this month. The search continues for the killer of bike-riding artist Sam Michel in Koreatown last year. Would Brentwood residents be willing to give up part of their front yards to make Bundy Drive safer for cyclists? KCET Departures examines fixed-gear trick riding. The Times looks at four new bike helmets. Pedicabs could soon go into business in Santa Monica. It seems cities with progressive bike infrastructure have us surrounded. Injured mountain biker rescued in Altadena. Cal Poly Pomona will host a pair of traffic safety forums this Thursday, followed by an online forum later that evening. Patients from Miller Children’s Hospital kick off the month leading up to May’s Tour of Long Beach. Long Beach-based Women on Bikes offers a new column from a professional triathlete.

Turns out you can live without a car, even in Orange County. Newport Beach extends the deadline to apply for the city’s Bicycle Master Plan Oversight Committee to April 26th. For once, drivers weren’t complaining it was bikes that slowed traffic on PCH in Corona del Mar. In a sparse report, a bike rider is injured on PCH in Huntington Beach; I’m starting to realize that when a newspaper says more details to come, it’s code for we’ll never report on this story again. San Diego-area cyclist Gordy Shields owns master’s criterium records in three separate age categories, and probably set another one as the only competitor in the 95+ age group Sunday. If you’re going to rob a man at knifepoint, you might choose a faster getaway vehicle than a beach cruiser. Temecula residents ride bikes to replace tykes’ stolen trikes. Riverside residents will have a chance to debate a planned road diet, while a Ukiah letter writer predicts disaster if a road diet there goes through. A Santa Maria run will honor a 19-year old cyclist killed by a distracted driver in 2009. Caltrans’ botched resurfacing of Highway 1 north of Cambria will keep most cyclists off the popular riding route through fall of this year. A 79-year old San Raphael man is killed after falling under a passing vehicle, which may or may not have hit him; either way, if he hadn’t been Jerry Browned by the car it wouldn’t have run over him.  A 15-year old San Lorenzo boy is killed playing chicken with a moving train. Damning with faint praise, a San Francisco paper says bike and pedestrian enhancements don’t necessarily hurt businesses, when actually the study they cite shows the results are overwhelmingly positive; thanks to Ralph Durham for the heads-up. Durham also sends word that a newly completed bike path will allow cyclists to ride from Downtown San Jose to Palo Alto using almost no surface streets. And he forwards this story of a San Jose man sentenced to a well-deserved 41 years for the road rage murder of two elderly men.

Andy Schleck plans to come back from last year’s season ending injury at this year’s Amgen Tour of California; on the other hand, his doping-suspended brother won’t. Cannondale’s Peter Sagan will be here, too. If you can get to a National Park this week, your admission is free; and if you get run over, the FBI could investigate, as the death of a rider on the Natchez Trace Parkway demonstrates. A automotive website asks if this is the world’s most beautiful e-bike. The Oregonian says streets are for unoccupied car storage, dammit. A Utah woman receives a piddling 210 days in jail for killing a bike rider because she couldn’t be bothered to scrape her windshield or stop for an oncoming train. A pair of Utah writers debate bicycling progress in SLC. A long-time Nebraska bike cop is sued for colliding with a 63-year old pedestrian. Minneapolis police arrest two children in the case of a cyclist attacked with a Molotov cocktail; would a good spanking followed by being grounded until the age of 47 be considered cruel and unusual punishment? A bicyclist leads police on a slow speed chase in Austin TX. A Long Island mother turned herself in, but denies guilt, for a September hit-and-run that dragged a cyclist under her car for 500 feet — with her five-year old in the car next to her. A New York cyclist offers an introduction to urban cycling. An NYC bike tour may not have to pay for police protection after all; thanks to George Wolfberg for the link. Signups begin today for Gotham’s new CitiBike bike share program. A Newark cyclist is dragged 30 feet following a collision, but survives with minor injuries. Baton Rouge, capital of the other LA, demonstrates that cities can demonstrate the effects of a road diet before making it permanent; note to Hollywood location scouts — evidently, they even have green lanes in the deep south these days. Florida cyclists ride to the state capital to call attention to bike safety. Moving the needle downward on bicyclist and pedestrian deaths.

A Toronto hit-and-run driver blows through a red light escaping a collision, killing a cyclist, before causing a five car collision. Toronto debates whether ebikes belong in the bike lane; the same debate is soon to come to a city near you, if it hasn’t already. One of the world’s leading experts on global warming is killed by a truck while riding in London. A writer for the London Guardian says the anti-bike lobby has run out of plausible arguments. Vandals target a UK cycling event, scattering tacks on the route and removing direction signs; let’s call this what it really is — domestic terrorism targeted at bike riders. If Oxford University can create its own bike brand, can USC and UCLA bikes be far behind? The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain offers their typically extensive round-up of links that puts my humble efforts to shame. Scot cyclists call for strict liability legislation. Cyclodeo wants to be a cycle-centric take on Google Street View. A Chinese bike rider has her cell phone stolen by a pickpocket using chopsticks.

Finally, yet another house is the victim of a drunken driver; if only they’d all use lights and wear hi-viz. A UK toddler is saved by his helmet, but not the way you might think. And the Detroit Free Press talks to a bike, or rather trike, riding Winnie the Pooh.

Congratulations to Chris of the Westwood Helen’s, who has been promoted to a buyer at the Santa Monica location. Couldn’t be more deserved, or happen to a nicer guy.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

A ride derailed, and my best wishes for your own personal holiday weekend

March 30, 2013 / / 3 comments

This day did not go as planned.

Starting with a middle of the night wake-up call from a sick Corgi that ended up canceling my plans for a half-century ride to the South Bay; she needed me home to look out for her more than I needed to ride.

And trust me, I needed to ride.

That was followed by an unexpected call from a reporter for KABC-7, who was picking up the story of 18-year old hit-and-run victim David Alexander Granatos, and wanted to interview me as part of it.

And while I appreciate the LA Weekly giving me a heads-up about their story reporting on the hit-and-run — really, I do — it would have meant more if I hadn’t already been reporting on it all week, in significantly more detail.

But I’m glad they covered it, just as I’m glad they did a much better job of reporting on hit-and-run victim Damian Kevitt — the cyclist who lost a leg, and may lose another, after he was dragged nearly 600 feet onto the I-5 Freeway by a fleeing driver — and putting it in context of the larger issue of cowardly drivers who refuse to take responsibility for the devastation they cause.

And I’m just as grateful that KNBC-4 and KABC-7 both reported on tonight’s Critical Mass, which was dedicated to Kevitt and rode past his hospital room.

Meanwhile, the more I learn about Granatos, the more heartbreaking it gets, as I find myself mourning a young man I never knew.

And now, never will.

Good Friday, for me, is always a maudlin day at best.

One calling for introspection and acknowledgement of just how far I stray at times from the man I choose to be.

Which is why I usually try to spend as much of it on my bike as I can. Because it’s there that my thoughts are clearest, I am most at peace and feel closest to God. If only because L.A. drivers threaten to make me that much closer to meeting him.

All of which is a long way of explaining why there was no update tonight.

Instead, allow me to offer my best wishes for a happy Easter and a blessed Passover, both of which are acknowledged in our mixed faith home. Even if the last few years have left me feeling like God’s favorite.

Or whatever you observe, even if it’s just a lovely weekend.

And hopefully, a great ride or two.

As for the Corgi, she seems to be doing much better.

Fingers crossed.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

Let’s take a quick break for a cute dog on a bike. Or a bike trailer, anyway

March 26, 2013 / / Comments Off on Let’s take a quick break for a cute dog on a bike. Or a bike trailer, anyway
Trix and owner

Trix and owner, both smiling on near perfect LA day

Let’s take a break for a little happier news.

Yesterday was a difficult morning for me, as I dealt with the emotional residue of a difficult weekend. So I set out on my bike in an attempt to improve my mood.

And yes, it did the job.

Over the years, bicycling has become my valium, my prozac, my meditation, my church. It clears my mind, energizes me when I’m tired, lifts my mood and gives me the distance required for much needed perspective.

So by the time I got to the Marina, my burden may not have been removed, but it felt a lot lighter than before I started.

Trix rides unrestrained, sitting or standing as it suits his — her? — whim

Trix rides unrestrained, sitting or standing as it suits his — her? — whim

Which may be why I laughed out loud when I looked up and saw a dog standing imperiously on trailer pulled by a recumbent bike, looking for all the world like a four-footed centurion pulled by a pedal-powered chariot.

I couldn’t resist.

So I caught up with the rider, and asked if he’d allow me to take a couple photos.

He was more than welcoming, while the dog, named Trix — I hope I got that right — mostly obliged.

Of course, like an idiot, I neglected to get the name of the friendly rider, or ask where he was from. Considering the riders I spoke with yesterday ranged from Alaska to DC, that could have been just about anywhere.

So if you recognize yourself, or know the rider and his dog, let me know.

And thanks for the best laugh I’ve had in days.

It wasn’t until much later, after I got back home, that I realized I’d captured the whole thing on video.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Sometimes, no news is just no news, so let’s get on with a long list of bike links

March 19, 2013 / / 5 comments

That’s how it goes sometimes.

I started collecting links for a new post on Friday, but breaking news has kept it offline. And in the meantime, they aren’t getting any fresher, as some of the stories I’ve been hoarding are rapidly nearing their expiration date.

Meanwhile, there’s still no more news on the cryptic reports of cyclists killed in Blythe and Pomona, let alone identification of the rider fatally doored in Hollywood earlier this month. And the bike liaisons for the area appear to be ignoring my request for more information, after apparently thinking no one would be interested in hearing about it at the LAPD bike task force meeting last week.

God, I miss Sgt. Krumer.

Although you’d t least think the death of a bicyclist would make the local news in small town like Blythe, but evidently, it’s less important than announcing the winner of the local rabbit show.

And details on the rider killed in Pomona appear to be a state secret, as no more details appear to have been released by anyone, let alone the authorities. An unconfirmed, and somewhat distasteful, comment to my story suggests the victim was an older man who may have died from a head injury.

So rather than wait for details that don’t appear to be coming, let’s get these links out and make a little more room on the shelf.

………

The battle over bike lanes goes on.

A forum is scheduled to discuss bike lanes in NELA March 27th, while Brentwood residents say no to bike lanes on Bundy; you can sign a petition to support the Bundy and Centinela bike lanes here. And in a surprisingly rational approach, North Hollywood cyclists and business owners agree to actually sit down and talk with each other.

Meanwhile, Councilmember Tom LaBonge officially unveils new bike lanes on Rowena Ave, saying the city’s plan is to make L.A. more bike friendly “where appropriate.”

So where exactly is bike safety inappropriate?

And Better Bike insightfully asks whether the proposed Bundy bike lanes will be the canary in the coal mine that tests the city’s commitment to balancing road safety with political commitment.

………

The Times’ new transportation reporter offers a look at the Wolfpack Hustle Marathon Crash Race; estimates of riders participating the highly praised event range from 3,000 to 5,000.

Meanwhile, hand cyclists compete in the L.A. Marathon. And if you can’t manage to plan your driving around a highly publicized event that’s scheduled a full year in advance, maybe you shouldn’t be driving.

………

Help fund a series of bike-in movies on the L.A River. Photos from the funeral of fallen Cal Poly Pomona cyclist Ivan Aguilar. The 5th annual Santa Clarita Century rolls on the 30th. Despite what some drivers think, PCH is not a freeway, which is exactly the problem. An alleged L.A. gang member is injured in a ride-by shooting, which happens far more often than you might think. This Thursday, the LACBC Planning Committee hosts a discussion of how bike friendly places are made; highly recommended. LACBC storms DC for the National Bike Summit earlier this month. Better Bike updates the sad state of bicycling in the Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills, including possible, but not necessarily likely, bike lanes on Santa Monica Blvd. WeHo News looks at balancing peds, bikes and cars on busy La Brea Avenue. UCLA continues to make progress in reducing auto dependency. Santa Monica suggests making Colorado Ave a one-way street with a two-way cycle track. Glendale makes a number of bike-friendly improvements, though how censoring intersections will help is beyond me; maybe they meant sensors, instead.

California police promise a crackdown on distracted driving next month; how about cracking down on it every day, instead? The Orange County Bicycle Coalition says OC representative Diane Harkey hates bicyclists, as shown by her bill that absolves cities of any liability for bad bike lane design or maintenance. Newport Beach is accepting applications for the new Bicycle Master Plan Oversight Committee; first action for the committee should be a slightly less unwieldy name. San Diego’s new mayor pledges to make the city the bicycling capital of the nation, if he can only win over the auto-centric people who live there. The rough rides on Highway 1 above Cambria may finally be coming to an end, but not before May. Bakersfield will require more bike racks at new buildings. The Amgen Tour of California will host its third annual elite women’s time trial in San Jose; once again, women riders get crumbs when they should have their own parallel tour. Is Palo Alto improving road safety for cyclists? BART tries out a full week of access for bikes. San Francisco should have bike share by August. The CHP cracks down on a West Marin Sunday morning ride, just as they’ve threatened to do in the Santa Monica Mountains. A Sacramento writer says Californians will continue to rely on their cars, so deal with it.

Long Beach ex-pats the Path Less Pedaled offer five reasons why bike tourism matters. People for Bikes says bike commuting is one of the best ways to stay in healthy. Your Facebook, Twitter and GPS are the latest tools for bike thieves, but a new Kickstarter project promises to employ GPS to protect your bike, while automatically reporting crashes. A new bike computer tracks how much gas you save by riding yours. A guide to how not to put warning signs in bike lanes. Utah bike rider waits for a train to pass, then gets killed by a second one he didn’t see coming. The mere presence of a bike rider on the road is enough to cause a Utah student driver to flip his car. Bad news for women’s bike racing as last year’s inaugural Exergy Bike Tour won’t be repeated; the teams say they saw it coming. Denver’s bike share program gets a $1.3 million boost from the Feds. My hometown of Fort Collins CO narrows their search for a bike program manager to four finalists; regrettably, I’m not one of them. A new Colorado company promotes beer and bike tourism in bike-friendly Fort Collins, where even the thieves are on two wheels. An Iowa cyclist is awarded $1.2 million after mud causes a fall on a bike path. An Illinois man is charged with throwing his bike at the conductor after being thrown off a train. An Indiana man dies of gunshot wounds suffered while riding his bike — 33 years after he was shot. A Queens councilmember says a little speeding never hurt anyone. Bicycling offers photos of the recent Bike Summit in Washington DC.

A new warning system puts sensors — not censors — on bikes to warn truck drivers of their presence. The editor of an automotive website says there’s no war between drivers and cyclists and it’s actually possible to enjoy both; thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up. London police criminalize Critical Mass. When two cyclists fall 20 feet into a subway at the same site just three year apart, maybe they should consider fixing the damn barrier. In a bizarre coincidence, the founder of Aston Martin was inspired to build motorcars after one ran his bicycle off the road, then was killed in a bicycling collision 45 years later. A Scot driver is clocked doing 138 mph, just a tad over the local speed limit. One hundred thirty five riders survive a Milano-Sanremo classic so brutal it gives suffer face a whole new meaning and the riders had to be bused mid-race; Taylor Phinney bounces back from a career and character defining last place finish to come in seventh despite a snow-crusted helmet. The Afghan women’s cycling team fights for their right to ride in public, let alone compete. A Malawi driver kills three members of the same family walking along a roadway; naturally, uninvolved bicyclists get the blame. A South African writer calls for a shift in behavior on the roads. The cyclist will bounce back from a South African collision, but what about the antelope? A bike rider is killed on one of New Zealand’s most popular, and dangerous, riding routes. A Polish cyclist will ride a seatless bike 2754 steps up the 100 story Shanghai World Financial Center; wait, he already did.

Finally, how many times do I have to say it? If you’re going to carry nine grams of meth in your hat, put a damn light on your bike. Congratulations to the Sydney Daily Telegraph for one of the worst articles on bicycling I’ve ever read, which is saying something. And a Bakersfield bike bum — and I mean that in the best possible way — has some great stories to tell.

You really should read that one.

Category: General, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , ,

Move along, nothing to see here

March 15, 2013 / / 2 comments

Barring breaking news, there won’t be a new post here today. I’ll be guest editing LA Streetsblog this morning instead, so come on over for the latest transportation news, including a few bike links.

Meanwhile, I’ll try to catch upon the bike news and events later tonight or over weekend as my schedule allows.

But before you go, click on this link.

And read the story of BMC rider Taylor Phinney’s last place finish in a race this past Monday, if you haven’t already. And even if you have no interest in bike racing.

Because it’s really not about that.

It’s about the biggest heart in the peloton. And a son’s love for his father, and for bicycling.

And it will make you forget all about that other guy from Texas, at least for awhile.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

A couple quick reminders that cars are big, dangerous machines that must be used with caution

March 10, 2013 / / 2 comments

No, really.

Who could have possibly seen something like this coming?

Besides everyone, I mean.

A pickup truck driver crashed into a building in Downtown L.A. on Sunday, injuring several people on the sidewalk and killing a 52-year old woman; reportedly, the collision was the result of a previously known medical condition.

Meanwhile, a 40-year old man was arrested after using his car as a weapon to ram two men he’d argued with earlier inside a Downtown strip club; one man lost both legs while the other had one leg severed.

Yet somehow, to some people, the biggest problem on our streets is scofflaw bike riders blowing through red lights and stop signs.

Yes, everyone needs to observe the law, and ride and drive safely and legally.

But motor vehicles are dangerous machines, used too often in dangerous ways. And until we accept that as a society, people will continue to be needlessly killed and maimed on our streets.

It’s not cyclists who kill over 33,000 people on American streets every year.

But you wouldn’t know that from reading some of the comments online.

………

An unlicensed Santa Barbara BMW driver hits another car while making an unsafe turn, hits a cyclist riding in a bike lane trying to flee the scene, gets stuck on the curb, then nearly runs over a pedestrian trying to stop him.

The driver was arrested on charges of hit-and-run with injury, driving without a license and driving under the influence; he also faces charges of dissuading a witness.

………

That petition calling on Governor Brown to atone for his vetoes by signing a three-foot passing law the third time around has now passed over 700 signatures.

………

Los Angeles continues to needlessly treat cyclists like second-class citizens on its streets. The LACBC and the authors of Where To Bike LA invite you to join them on a tour of the Rio Hondo, Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers next Saturday. The LACBC’s Planning Committee will host a forum with three of the area’s leading bike planning experts on Thursday, March 21 at LACBC headquarters, 634 S. Spring Street. A 31-year old woman was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center with serious injuries after a solo fall while mountain biking off Mulholland Highway. Burbank police will participate in the Police Unity Tour Bike Ride this May, riding from New Jersey to DC in honor of Burbank Police Officer Matthew Pavelka, who was killed in the line of duty 10 years ago. Burbank bans mobile billboards, including those pulled on trailers that can block bike lanes or fall and injury a cyclist or others passing by. Following the death of bike riding student Ivan Aguilar, a Cal Poly Pomona official promises to maintain the auto-centric focus on campus for the foreseeable future, while police continue their investigation. A look at one of SoCal’s leading bike advocates and nicest people, Melissa Balmer, founder of Women on Bikes.

The founder of Vista CA-based Electra bikes started a revolution in casual bicycling. A Santa Rosa cyclist explains why he isn’t one anymore. Sonoma County considers adopting an L.A.-style anti-harassment ordinance; thanks to Megan Lynch for the link. Over 100 bicyclists ride in honor of two fallen Santa Cruz police officers. Two Santa Cruz County bicyclists are air-lifted to trauma centers in unrelated incidents. Could bike tourism make a difference in Redding? I’ve said it before, if you’re carrying illegal drugs and a weapon, use a headlight on your bike.

If you want to get more women on bikes, try treating them like normal people; my thought exactly. The Cascade Bicycle Club talks with Ed Orcutt, the Washington Representative who called for taxing bike riders because our breath emits greenhouse gases, and finds he’s not all bad. Phoenix police look for not one, but two hit-and-run drivers who fatally tag-teamed a bicyclist. A Boulder CO dump truck driver is convicted of careless driving resulting in death for killing a bike rider — his second offense involving a cyclist in the last four years. If you don’t think the lives of cyclists count, you’re right, at least in Wyoming. Topeka cyclists discover bike polo, saving some unused tennis courts from closure in the process. When a local rider is killed Lubbock TX, cyclists share tips on how to stay safe. After losing 60% of it’s population, Cleveland is slowly becoming a bike and pedestrian friendly city. After years of clearing killer drivers by reciting the mantra “no criminality involved,” New York police finally get serious about investigating traffic collisions; they’ve also stopped referring to collisions as accidents.  A Rochester NY driver flees the scene after Jerry Browning a cyclist riding in a bike lane with an alcohol level over twice the legal limit; yet somehow, he was still allowed behind the wheel despite a “significant criminal history” of prior DUI offenses.

A drunken Brazilian driver flees with a cyclist’s severed arm inside his car, dumping it into s stream before turning himself in. A highly detailed examination of the pros and cons of bicycle registration, including Nazi Germany’s fondness for licensing bikes; so when you license a bike, you ride with Hitler. The Pakistan cycling team gets visas to compete in the Asian Cycling Championships for the first time. South African cyclists ride to call for a five-foot passing law in honor of fallen pro cyclist Burry Stander.

Finally, an extremely drunk Montana rider crashed his bike into the back of a patrol car; no word on whether he damaged the alcohol monitoring bracelet he was wearing. And following a terrifying road rage assault, a Kansas City cyclist threatens to kill his attacker.

With kindness.

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

A little light bike reading to start your weekend

March 9, 2013 / / 8 comments

I didn’t have a chance to update the bike events list today.

Fortunately, the Bird Wheel has you covered with enticing bike-related riding, eating and drinking events starting this weekend and going through the 19th of the month.

………

One non-bike item I might add for my fellow dog lovers:

Woofstock 90210 takes place this Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm at Roxbury Park, at the corner of Roxbury Drive and Olympic Blvd. You’ll find countless dogs available for adoption from L.A. Animal Services and a number of rescue groups, as well as food trucks, entertainment and more dog swag than you can shake your tail at.

As someone who adopted a rescue dog, it was easily one of the best decisions we’ve ever made; somehow, I suspect the Corgi might agree. I suspect she rescued us more than the other way around.

And it may be the only time I recommend visiting the Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills for any reason.

………

Finally, someone gets serious about drunk driving, as a New Mexico bill would prohibit anyone convicted of drunk driving from buying alcohol in the state.

Granted, it wouldn’t keep those covered by the law from getting someone else to buy booze for them. And it would undoubtedly lead to drunken liquor runs across the state border.

But it’s the strongest step yet in stopping one of the leading, and most needless, causes of traffic deaths.

Now if we could just get a law prohibiting anyone ticketed for distracted driving from owning a cell phone.

………

The Times says bikes and their riders are better for society than cars, and sees no benefit in taxing them. More on the memorial ride and ghost bike for fallen Cal Poly Pomona student Ivan Aguilar. Newport Beach will consider forming an oversight committee to develop a new bike master plan. The San Diego branch of the International Rescue Committee refurbishes bikes for refugees. A pair of road makeovers will result in wider streets with bike lanes in Yucaipa and Calimesa. How to maintain your dignity while riding in a miniskirt; if I had any dignity I wouldn’t ride in spandex. The SF Weekly says cyclists aren’t just stop-sign blowing pricks in skinny jeans. After a member of the San Raphael high school mountain bike team has his bike stolen, the local community pitches in to replace it. A Hanford cyclist is killed in a T-bone collision as he tried to cross a busy highway.

Helmets save lives, but the reduction in injuries resulting from helmet laws may be due to fewer people on bikes. Bicycling talks with Republican Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard; yes, Republican, proving once again that bikes are neither liberal nor conservative. Two dozen cyclists will ride from Newtown, Connecticut, and join with riders from Virginia Tech to call for common-sense gun laws. A New York cyclist is killed riding against traffic when he’s hit by one car and knocked into the path of another. Long Beach biking expats the Path Less Pedaled looks back on this past week’s National Bike Summit in Washington DC; Jonathan Maus of Bike Portland offers his final thoughts, while DC Streetsblog says bicycling means business. A safety-conscious homeless bike rider is killed in a Charlotte NC SWSS. After decades of fixing and donating bikes for kids in need, Raleigh NC’s Bicycle Man needs help with medical expenses. Florida authorities blame a driver for carelessly killing a cyclist, and the rider for being on the road in the first place. Even World War II bomber crews biked to work.

More on the pending bike-friendly makeover of London; seriously, if they can do it, what’s our excuse? A UK paperboy’s death serves as a tragic reminder to maintain your children’s bikes, and always make sure their brakes are in working order. You wouldn’t put Mark Cavendish on a Penny Farthing, or maybe you would. Italian supercar maker Lamborghini celebrates their 50th anniversary by partnering with BMC on a limited edition — and very expensive — bike. An Indian bus driver sets off a chain reaction collision by striking a cart pulled by a bull, causing the bull to run amok and hit a five-year old riding a bike, fatally knocking the boy under the cart. A passing motorist saves a South African cyclist from a pit bull attack.

Finally, 96-year old Ralph the Bike Guy is being honored as Grand Marshal of a Kansas City-area St. Patrick’s Day Parade, two months after he lost his wife of 72 years.

This is one of the nicest profiles I’ve read in months. If you can finish reading it without a tear in your eye, you’re a far stronger person than I am.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Metro supports your right to the road, PCH cyclist beaten in Malibu, $25k reward for hit-and-run driver

March 5, 2013 / / 10 comments

I like it.

Metro is introducing a new bike safety campaign leading up to May’s bike week. One that may finally convince at least some drivers that we’re not confined to a tiny strip of roadway next to the gutter.

13-1362_otd_bike_traffic_safety_30sheet_jl_lo

I hope they show this to law enforcement agencies, too.

………

A cyclist riding with his wife on PCH in Malibu last month was severely beaten by two men after recording an argument with another rider on his cell phone.

The two men, described as Persian or Middle Eastern in their 40s or 50s, were in a black two-door Bentley without permanent license plates. After they noticed the man recording their argument with the cyclist, they got out and demanded his phone, then punched and kicked him, and took his phone after knocking him to the ground, before driving south on PCH.

The victim suffered a concussion in the assault.

………

Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge joins with the CHP to offer a $25,000 reward to find the hit-and-run driver who critically injured cyclist Damian Kevitt by dragging him nearly a quarter mile onto the 5-Freeway near the L.A. Zoo.

Meanwhile, Cal Poly Pomona professor Boyonabike offers his thoughts on the tragic death of cyclist Ivan Aguilar on campus last Thursday; a highly recommended though heartbreaking read.

………

Bike scribe Padraig of Red Kite Prayer could use a few prayers and/or good thoughts for a new baby who’s not out of the woods yet.

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The 13th Annual Nation Bike Summit kicked off in Washington DC on Monday with the National Women’s Bicycling Forum, which heard inspiring words from freshman Congresswoman, double war amputee and cyclist Tammy Duckworth. How to diversify bicycling in three easy steps. And Frank Peters of cdmCyclist provides photos from the first day.

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For anyone interested in somewhat colder pursuits, my Iditarod veteran brother is offering his insights into this year’s dog sled race.

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Traffic planning star and L.A. native Janette Sadik-Khan, commissioner of the New York Department of Transportation, spoke at the UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs Complete Streets Initiative last week, and rocked the house as usual; I’m told she got a standing ovation at the Bike Summit, too. Streetsblog offers a guide to today’s city council election. New bike lanes on Vermont are a small step forward. Los Angeles Cycle Chic looks at a CicLAvia wedding. Better Bike reminds those who live in the Biking Black Hole to vote today if you ever want to see improvement in the city; the new Request for Proposals to remake Santa Monica Blvd through Beverly Hills doesn’t look promising. A Santa Monica woman is charged in the hit-and-run death of a tow truck driver on PCH in Malibu last month. Santa Monica Spoke wants your help to deliver Meals on Wheels by bike later this month. Walk Bike Glendale gets that city’s city council candidates on the record for their stands on, yes, walking and biking.

Cyclelicious looks at the bicycling bills under consideration during the current legislative session — including one disastrous proposed law that would remove government liability for any injuries that occur as a result of bad bike lane design or maintenance. Whittier approves a new bike plan focused on improving safety. San Diego considers a bike safety resolution, even as local advocates express their disappointment; Bike SD calls on local riders to attend Tuesday’s council session as a result. North San Diego County drivers will get a wider freeway, while cyclists will get two new bikeways, including a 27-mile pathway along the coast. Temecula will update its trails and bikeways master plan. A Texas attorney dies after jumping into the chilly San Francisco Bay during the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon. After a Marin County cyclist collapses while riding, a sheriff’s deputy uses a portable defibrillator to save his life.

USA Cycling celebrates Major Taylor, America’s first cycling hero, who broke the color barrier over a hundred years ago. Oregon’s largest newspaper starts a new bicycling blog written by their riding reporters. Portland businesses seek out bike front properties. Washington legislator Ed Orcutt apologizes for saying cyclists should be taxed because our heavy breathing contributes to global warming; I guess a tax on sexual activity is out of the question then. Arizona considers reforming their three foot passing law, which currently makes it legal to kill a cyclist if he or she is riding in a bike lane. Utah cyclists may soon be able to ride through red lights that don’t change for them. A Colorado dump truck driver faces a $1000 fine and up to one year in jail for carelessly killing a cyclist. Texas bike wreck survivor and bike safety blogger Witch on a Bicycle unveils his $500 contest to design a tattoo to cover a large fish-shaped scar on his leg.

Biking in crime-ridden Guatemala City is possible after all. Mikael Colville-Anderson, author of Copenhagenize and Copenhagen Cycle Chic, makes his return to his native Calgary. Rising British cyclist Junior Heffernan is killed in a collision with a car in his first race with his new pro team. A British bike rider is hit in the face with a branch thrown at her from a bridge. Did an angry Brit driver punch out a cyclist because he hates bikes or because the rider gave him the finger because he was angry? The BBC cans their long-time cycling commentator in favor of a much younger colleague. UK health professionals warn against creeping requirements for helmets on charity rides, a practice that is virtually universal in this country. Lance could lose his French Legion of Honor medal in the wake of his recent doping scandal. Multiple world champion cyclist Marianne Vos enters her first ever mountain bike race in Cyprus — and wins, of course. Retroactive tests of 50 South African cyclists shows evidence of EPO use. Melbourne celebrates the World Naked Bike Ride; yes, there are naked pictures, whether that makes you want to click on the link or avoid it. Two Kiwi cyclists are hit in separate collisions at virtually the same spot half an hour apart. A Japanese bike mechanic is still wrenching at 85.

Finally, Indian bike advocates call for licensing cyclists, with a small cash payment if one gets killed, saying that will encourage more people to ride; I’d think it would have exactly the opposite effect. And a study from the University of Duh shows that cyclists who are hit by moving vehicles are four times more likely to suffer severe injuries than riders involved in non-vehicle accidents.

Now put this down and get out and bike the vote if you haven’t already.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Car vs Bike, General, Hit-and-Run, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Pleitez literally runs — and bikes — for mayor; WA Representative blames bikes for global warming

March 3, 2013 / / 4 comments

After a busy and needlessly heartbreaking week, I finally have a chance to catch up on all the latest bike news.

So put your feet up and get comfortable.

This could take awhile.

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Pleitez riding to Venice on Saturday; note his helmet cam.

Pleitez riding to Venice Saturday; note helmet cam.

Mayoral candidate Emanuel Pleitez is running for office this weekend.

No, literally.

Long considered the fifth place candidate in Tuesday’s mayoral election, the 30-year old Pleitez is running and biking 100 miles across the city to promote his campaign and connect with voters.

He rode 22 miles from Boyle Heights to Venice with a group of supporters on Saturday, mostly along Venice Blvd. Sunday you’ll find him walking from LMU to the Watts Towers, while Monday takes him down to San Pedro.

Is it working?

We won’t know until Tuesday night — or most likely, sometime Wednesday — when the votes come in. But in a five-way race, it doesn’t take a lot of support to work your way into a top-two runoff.

While it may be a stunt, it’s the best one I’ve seen in the 20-plus years I’ve called this city home. It also beats the hell out of the mudslinging his fellow candidates have substituted for actual campaigning in recent days.

And it’s making me take a second look at a campaign I’d dismissed weeks ago.

Pleitez team setting off; Emanuel Pleitez is in the center.

Pleitez team setting off; Emmanuel Pleitez is in the center.

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The LACBC isn’t just getting L.A. candidates on the record these days.

Local affiliate chapter South Bay Bicycle Coalition deserves major credit for getting responses from several candidates for that city’s council.

Although I’d like to think one of those who responded could offer a tad more detail than the 43 words he submitted.

………

If you want to see a clear example of why you should cast your vote carefully, consider this exchange between a bike shop owner and a Washington state representative.

Republican Representative Ed Orcutt says he’s not a fan of most tax plans, but supports a proposal to slap a $25 tax on all bike sales over $500.

Because of the greenhouse gases emitted by breathing bicyclists.

Also, you claim that it is environmentally friendly to ride a bike. But if I am not mistaken, a cyclists (sic) has an increased heart rate and respiration. That means that the act of riding a bike results in greater emissions of carbon dioxide from the rider.  Since CO2 is deemed to be a greenhouse gas and a pollutant, bicyclists are actually polluting when they ride.

Yes, far better to put all those riders back in cars where they’ll do less harm to the environment, right?

And don’t even get me started on that same old — and long disproven — argument that drivers pay for the roads and we don’t.

Let alone that most bike riders are drivers.

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A 72-year old San Diego area cyclist suffered a life-threatening head injury Saturday morning when he fell from his bike in Torrey Pines State Preserve north of La Jolla.

And a Lakewood bike rider is collateral damage in a collision between an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy and another driver on Friday.

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The Glendale News-Press offers the most in-depth coverage yet of the hit-and-run collision that cost cyclist Damian Kevitt his leg after he was dragged onto the freeway near the L.A. Zoo. Kevitt was riding with his wife on their way from the L.A. River bike path to the zoo when he was struck.

It’s frightening how quickly a pleasant bike ride can turn to horror at the hands of a heartless human being — if you can use that word to describe someone who could do this to another person.

A letter writer says the overpass where Kevitt was hit is a potential death trap for cyclists and pedestrians.

Meanwhile, friends and fellow students of fallen Cal Poly Pomona bike rider Ivan Aguilar mourn his death.

………

Bike blogger and wreck survivor Opus the Poet is having a rather unusual contest on his blog: design a tattoo to cover up a large scar on his leg and you could win $500. The appendage in question goes up on his website Sunday.

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Streetsblog says kiss your buffered bike lane in front of formerly bike-friendly LAPD headquarters goodbye. An interactive guide to the last 139 years of Los Angeles transportation. Evidently, you can carry anything on a bike, even a cello. Flying Pigeon considers the argument that bike lanes might delay drivers ever so slightly, and finds it sadly lacking. LA Weekly reviews the new Spring Street parklets, and concludes they need more bike parking. CD5 city council candidate Mark Herd threatens to shoot someone with his antique gun if they try to put a bike lane on Westwood Blvd; load up, dude, while I paint a target on my ass. Santa Monica students will track their car-free miles as they pledge to bike or walk to school. Culver City-based Walk and Rollers needs your support to win a $5000 grant from the Lakers Youth Foundation. CLR Effect says just open the new tunnel on the San Gabriel River Trail already. Women on Bikes wants you to take their spring survey even if you’re not a woman; you could win a handcrafted bracelet, again, even if you’re not a woman.

Are drivers in Corona del Mar speeding through previously quiet neighborhoods just to avoid sharrows on the Coast Highway? An Orange County writer says drug testing should be eliminated in professional sports. San Diego will enjoy its first ciclovia — make that CicloSDias — in August. Riverside considers a road diet, including bike lanes. Just Another Cyclist says knock off the fear mongering already. A San Francisco writer offers advice on how to drive around cyclists, including instructions to stay the f*** out of the bike lane. BART will give bikes another test run. A Merced cyclist is killed in a rear-end collision after the driver saw him riding on the side of the road, but hit him anyway. How to take photos of bike racing.

Turns out the National Highway Safety Board hasn’t made a single bike safety recommendation since I graduated from junior high; trust me, that was a long damn time ago. NPR looks at the benefits of bicycling as part of a healthy lifestyle and smarter transportation. Shouldn’t pedestrians at least be safe from cars on the sidewalk? Women rise to the forefront of the bicycling movement at next week’s National Women’s Bicycling Forum; so wait, we’re a movement now? A first hand, or rather helmet, view of a white tail deer cyclocross collision. An Austin planned community goes green, as in bike lanes. Now why couldn’t Baton Rouge have gotten bike friendly when I lived down there, instead of making me dodge doors and flying beer cans? A hero Louisiana bike shop owner waddles into a burning house in bike shoes to save a woman’s life. After a Chicago cyclist is doored, then run over by a second driver who fled the scene, the original driver is cited — not for carelessly opening his door, but for failing to yield to a horseback rider. The New York DMV correctly determines that collisions aren’t accidents. Two New York men decide they, not you, own the sidewalk, offering penalty cards for anyone who doesn’t use it the right way, or rather, their way. New York wants to put speed cameras on the streets; a few of those on my street could balance L.A.’s city budget in a couple weeks. A Massachusetts driver gets out of his car and slaps a cyclist after Jerry Browning him. A proposed Maryland mandatory helmet law could make streets less safe. Charlotte streets are growing progressively less safe for cyclists and pedestrians.

Every city should have it’s own Lucha Libre superhero defender of the public pedestrian right-of-way. Should Vancouver cyclists be allowed to roll stop signs? The local press says hell no. A bike riding UK father survives a hit-and-run road rage attack. Edinburgh surgeons cross scalpels over the benefits of helmet use. A Scot writer demonstrates his massive heart by wishing he’d thought sooner to shove a pipe through a rude cyclist’s spokes, or elsewhere; note to writer, violence isn’t witty. Turns out Scarlett Johansson enjoys drunken bike bar hopping in Amsterdam. Strasbourg plans a spider web of bikeways, guaranteeing a minimum cruising speed of 12.4 mph. An Aussie triathlete says most drivers would give cyclists a meter of space — or roughly three feet — if they saw them as real people. New Zealanders call for calm in the wake of a road rage attack that left a triathlete seriously injured. A driver and cyclist debate the battle on New Zealand streets; a Christchurch pathologist says you can’t just look for bikes, you actually have to see them.

Finally, when one helmet cam just isn’t enough, how about seven cameras recording in every possible direction. It turns out that massive crocodile a cyclist spotted in the River Thames was a prop from a Bond film.

And a masturbating seat stalker proves that even bike paradise has its sick f***s deeply disturbed individuals.

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

L.A. bikes the vote, kneejerk anti-bike bias rears it’s ugly head, and a massive weekend list o’ links

February 23, 2013 / / 3 comments

A busy week of bike meetings and breaking news meant pushing back a lot of stories.

So grab a cup and settle in for a full weekend worth of the latest bike news from L.A. and around the world.

………

The LACBC provides responses to candidate surveys from 13 candidates for L.A. city council; surprisingly, some very bike-friendly candidates, such as Odysseus Bostick in CD 11, failed to respond.

Meanwhile, a writer for the L.A. Times offers a one-sided windshield-perspective look at the CD 11 candidates; I thought the Times had outgrown that sort of crap in recent years.

And I’m sick to death of people who don’t ride a bike stating with presumed authority that no one would ever ride from the Westside — or the Palisades — to Downtown when there are riders who do that, or its equivalent, every day.

I make the Westside to Downtown ride several times a month myself. And find it easier, cheaper, faster, more enjoyable — and yes, safer — than driving a car. But it’s so much easier to claim no one would do it than talk to someone who does.

As for the race for L.A. Mayor, Streetsblog offers video interviews from all five leading candidates. And the Times sort of makes up for their misstep above by getting them on the record for their stands on transportation issues, including bicycling.

If you want to do more than just cast a vote to ensure the city’s next leaders support bicycling — or any other city in L.A. County for that matter — come to the the LACBC’s Civic Engagement Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 26th at 6:45 pm at the Johnnie’s Pizza at Museum Square, 5757 Wilshire Blvd.

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Has it really been two years since L.A. adopted a new bike plan? The city is making real progress, but anti-bike critics remain.

LADOT considers floating bike lanes for Westwood Blvd, but an LA Observed writer with a terminal case of windshield perspective says those damned bike lanes are going to ruin the streets for the rest of us. Examined Spoke responds, while Boyonabike smells anti-bike bias.

Rampant anti-bike NIMBYism rears its ugly head at the Westside bike lane meeting, as local neighborhood councils and business owners came in with minds already made up and their ears closed. On the other hand, Rancho Park Online offers a surprisingly well reasoned analysis of the Westwood proposal.

Meanwhile, Eagle Rock business owners question whether bike lanes are good or bad for business; that pretty much depends on whether their business can benefit from bike riders’ money. The Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council says keep bike lanes off Lankershim and put them on Vineland, instead; if you want to see a perfect example of irrational anti-bike bias, read the comments — seriously, elitist bike Nazis? And NoHoArtsDistrict tries to get the facts straight.

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In one of the most outrageous cases in recent memory, a Buenos Aires driver runs down a cyclist, then flees with his victim’s body still on the hood of his car for 17 kilometers — 10.5 miles — until he’s stopped at a toll both.

And when the attendant pointed out he had a body on his car, he responded “Does that mean you’re going to charge me twice?”

Thanks to Ralph Durham for the heads-up.

Meanwhile, closer to home, the Glendale News-Press finally reports on last Sunday’s horrible hit-and-run collision in which a cyclist was knocked off his bike and dragged onto the 5 Freeway by the fleeing minivan; I’ve updated the original story.

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Even pro teams are victims of violence these days.

According to Cycling News, the Jamis-Hagens Berman team was on a training ride outside otherwise bike-friendly Tucson when a car pulled up next to them and the driver started swearing at them.

The car then swerved into the lead riders before speeding off, causing the riders to crash; fortunately, no one was seriously injured. And just as fortunately, the team car was following the paceline and managed to get photos of the driver’s license plate.

Hopefully, there will be an arrest — and serious charges — soon.

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KNBC-4 recommends the LACBC’s ‘80s Bike Prom this Saturday, as do I; if I wasn’t still keeping a close eye on my wife thanks to her foot-dragging insurance company, I’d be there myself. Streetsblog is hosting a fundraiser with outgoing councilmember Bill Rosendahl the same night. A Midwestern transplant discovers you can bike in L.A. without dying, and borrows this blog’s name in the process. Here’s your map for April’s CicLAvia to the Sea; there will be a community meeting to discuss it next Thursday. New pavement and bike lanes for Cypress Park. Burbank adopts its new general plan; naturally, the only no vote came because the plan includes a bigger bike network. Universal Studios will fund projects to alleviate Burbank traffic caused by their expansion, and extend the L.A. River bike path they’ve long tried to block. Long Beach wants to help you become a street savvy cyclist.

A La Habra teen is stabbed by two men for his bike. Huntington Beach plans to widen Atlanta Avenue and add bike lanes in both direction; hopefully they won’t follow the murderous OC pattern of striping wide lanes to encourage more speeding drivers. A Coronado driver says yes, it is my job to make you obey the law. Not so fast on those new bike lanes on the Coast Highway in Leucadia. San Diego plans to add bike lanes and sidewalks to fix a dangerous stretch of road in San Ysidro. Temecula’s Sarah Hammer takes gold in the women’s individual pursuit at the World Championships. This has got to be the crappiest name ever for a bike ride; no, I mean literally. Camarillo adds two miles of bike lanes. Cambria riders push Caltrans to fix the damage they did to one of California’s favorite riding routes. Turn any shoes into cleated bike shoes. Cyclists on San Francisco’s King Street are at the mercy of cars once the bike lane ends mid-block. San Francisco police bust a fugitive sex offender for riding on the sidewalk. Supporters of a fallen Oroville cyclist says it’s time to end hit-and-runs.

The man whose name graces my bike says he wants to get back into the business; makes sense since he’s now America’s only Tour de France winner. Not surprisingly, traffic fatalities rose nationwide in 2012. The USDOT questions whether dead cyclists and pedestrians count enough to count. L.A.-style bicyclist anti-harassment laws are spreading nationwide. Dave Moulton says lighter isn’t always better. Ninety members of my old fraternity plan to bike across the county to raise awareness for disabilities this summer. Sorry Wired, fat bikes don’t huck and bikes can’t outrun wolves. Washington considers a $25 fee on the sale of any bike over $500; even the woman who wrote the bill doesn’t support it. A bike rider is killed by a train because a Utah driver couldn’t be bothered to clean the frost off her windshield. Rocky Mountain National Park considers its first off-road bike trails. If you’re stopped for biking under the influence on your birthday, it’s probably not a good idea to celebrate by strangling the cop. A Chicago newsman panics over planned bikeways and bus lanes on the Loop. Now that’s more like it, as an Indiana driver gets 18 years for killing two teenage bike riders after smoking meth. New York plans a crackdown on bike delivery riders. Former Bogota mayor Enrique Penalosa says Gotham could be more livable. A Philly writer wisely suggests that instead of focusing on how to get women to ride, we should consider what works for everyone; Elly Blue says just invite everyone to the party. Bike safety goes down in flames in Virginia legislature. Wannabe Latin pop star Carlos Bertonatti finally pleads guilty in the 2010 drunken hit-and-run death of a Miami cyclist; Bertonatti faces up to 35 years, but it’s unlikely he would have changed his plea if there wasn’t a deal in place.

Once again, a study supports the obvious conclusion that lower speeds and separated bike lanes significantly reduce the risk of cycling injuries. Five lessons from the world’s most bike friendly city, winter edition. How to travel with your Brompton. Looks like next year we can look forward to the Giro d’Eire. A look at the five best Hollywood bike scenes from a Brit perspective, without mentioning Breaking Away, American Flyers or Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. A major failure of education and traffic planning, as English children are banned from biking or walking to school. A New Zealand writer asks if hi-viz makes you a target. Australia, which mandates bike helmets for everyone, also requires bike bells in an apparent attempt to help more angels get their wings. Adelaide police statistics show drivers are at fault in an overwhelming 80% of all collisions; thank God Aussie cyclists have their bells to protect them.

Finally, this is why some people hate lawyers. A defense attorney claims his client wasn’t impaired when she killed a cyclist, but only took the drugs afterwards — apparently to cope with just having killed someone while driving distracted at over 70 mph.

Or maybe you just need a little bike rap to kick off your weekend; the language may be offensive to some, including heavy abuse of the dreaded n-word.

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Thanks to Chris and the gang at the Westwood Helen’s, I no longer have a busted bearing in my bottom bracket. And neither does my bike.

If you’re looking for a great LBS, tell ‘em I sent you.

Category: General, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , , ,
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