Archive for General

Take some time to ride your bike. And pet someone you love.

December 18, 2011 / / Comments Off on Take some time to ride your bike. And pet someone you love.

I started writing this last night.

The plan was to get it online late Saturday night, then move on to another subject I’ve been putting off far too long.

But about halfway through, the Corgi climbed into my lap, and politely suggested that my time might be put to better use petting her than pounding my keypad.

She had a point.

So I set down my work and spent the next hour or so reminding myself that what seems awfully important at the time often isn’t. And nothing is more important than letting loved ones know they are.

Even the furry four-footed ones.

So do yourself a favor. Take a break amid all the hustle and bustle of the season, and the mad rush to wrap things up before the end of the year.

Find a little time to get out on your bike. And remind yourself just why you love it so much.

But before you go, take just a moment to remind everyone you love that you really do love them every bit as much as you do your bike.

Maybe even more, if that’s possible.

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The Ventura County Star, which usually provides great coverage of cycling incidents, finally reports on the December 3rd collision that killed Hollywood writer/producer Carol Schreder.

Yet they remarkably neglect to mention the name of the victim. Or that she died from her injuries.

And to make matters worse, they have their comments disabled for this story, so readers can’t easily correct their inexplicable error.

……..

Welcome back to one of my favorite L.A. bike bloggers. A Times article on the environmental impact of online shopping gives a (very brief) shout out to shopping by bike. Downtown’s green bike lane is more peeling than appealing. Turns out the head of Santa Monica-based electric car manufacturer Coda Automotive is a full-time bike commuter. Maybe he should move to an upcoming SaMo development with plenty of bike parking but none for cars. Neon Tommy says L.A. and Metro are working towards a more bike-friendly city. Zooey Deschanel rides a bike. A 24-year old Baldwin Park cyclist is injured in a drive-by shooting. Long Beach’s biking expats report home from the New Zealand coast.

A homeless Huntington Beach cyclist is convicted of a vile racist attack on a Latina driver. Orange County bike advocate Frank Peters interviews Jeff Miller of the Alliance for Biking and Walking. Cyclelicious rebuts the primary argument against the NTSB’s recent recommendation that cell use in cars should be banned entirely. Eighty-nine Imperial Valley children get a bike for Christmas, refurbished by local prison inmates. Sacramento plans to launch an expanded bike share program next year.

A champion Scot skier killed in Oregon last month was riding without lights and a BAC nearly twice the legal limit — and just one point below the driver who killed him. A Tucson cyclist is killed after being hit by a train. Boulder CO organization Community Cycles gives 300 bikes to local children. An Idaho driver is charged with intentionally running a cyclist off the road because he wouldn’t get the hell out of his way. Eight Choctaw children get refurbished bikes courtesy of tribal police. Milwaukee sheriff calls a proposed bike lane on a major bridge the dumbest thing he’s ever heard; a cyclist killed there recently would probably disagree. Didn’t get to this one when it first appeared, as Steve Vance asks if it’s safer to ride without a helmet or drive without a seat belt. Yes, Virginia, you can take your Christmas tree home by bike. Woody Allen says bikes are ruining the Big Apple. Harlem businesses fight a new bike lane, while a 17-year old Harlem cyclist gets killed. A DC police officer, who may have been off duty, runs down a cyclist. A North Carolina driver who killed a cyclist in a hit-and-run collision is returned to jail after being mistakenly released. A 19-year old rider on the Lees-McRae College cycling team is killed when a truck crosses onto the wrong side of the road to hit her head-on; cyclists ride in her honor in her Texas hometown. A Florida man continues his annual tradition by giving away over 800 bikes to local children; starting to notice a theme here?

Turns out carbon bikes have a very big carbon footprint. A high school teacher gets a three-year suspended sentence for killing an elderly cyclist, along with a couple of newly weds — and their dog — after apparently going into diabetic shock. British conservatives say it’s your fault if you get killed; a rash of unanswered fatalities suggest London’s BoJo may not be putting cyclists first, after all. A British Royal Air Force vet rides the full length of the country after recovering from war injuries including breaking nearly every major bone in his body and losing both legs. English adventurer — and U.S. bike victim — James Cracknell finds an alternative way of getting around. Scot time trial legend Graeme Obree sets out to set a new bike world speed record of up to 100 mph. There will be no sanctions for Jeannie Longo despite three missed drug tests. The Schleck brothers make their big screen debut. Aussie cyclists are victims of a Me culture. More on the remarkable recovery of Paralympic cycling champion — and possible Olympic competitor — Monique van der Vorst. South African drivers stake their claim to world’s worst; thanks to Todd Munson for the heads-up. A Singapore driver makes a U-turn to look at his cyclist victim before fleeing the scene.

Finally, more than bikes were racing at this weekend’s very successful CXLA Santa Cross cyclocross races. Maybe if I start the Corgi on a strict training regimen, she might be up to the challenge next year.

Thanks to Brian Black Hodes of Velo Images for the photos, and the afore mentioned Mr. Munson for twisting his arm to let me use them. And be sure to click on the link, if only to check out Hodes’ amazing photos, including a breathtaking shot of L.A.’s own former U.S. Crit champ Rahsaan Bahati.

And best wishes to longtime L.A. bike advocate Kent Strumpell for a full and fast recovery from recent surgery. If you ride anywhere in the L.A. area, you owe Kent a round of thanks for all he does to ensure safer roads and better riding conditions for all of us.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Amine Britel killer faces 10 years; lots of links and a crowded weekend bike calendar

December 3, 2011 / / Comments Off on Amine Britel killer faces 10 years; lots of links and a crowded weekend bike calendar

Danae Miller faces up to 10 year in prison for the death of world-class triathlete Amine Britel last February.

Miller is charged with a single felony count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated, and was allegedly texting when she plowed into the rear of Britel’s bike as he road in a Newport Beach bike lane.

The question is why she was even on the road after receiving 16 tickets in just 6 years, including six tickets for speeding or driving too fast for conditions in just a three-year period.

Now Britel is dead and Miller faces serious prison time simply because, as Traffic author Tom Vanderbilt put it, a driver’s license is too easy to get, too hard to lose.

……..

Sgt. Krumer sends word that after speaking to the driver in the most recent Mandeville Canyon case, it wasn’t a case of road rage, as it seemed, but merely another driver who didn’t understand that cyclists have a right to ride in the roadway. And don’t have to move over when an expensive, high-performance Italian luxury car comes up from behind.

I don’t know what’s worse. A single road raging driver, or a state full of motorists who don’t know the law.

Fortunately, Sgt. Krumer says the driver now understands his mistake, and it’s not likely to happen again.

Now if we could just get him to speak with every other driver on the road.

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A minor Santa Clarita hit-and-run brings out the usual comments, ranging from apparent gutter bunnies who criticize other riders to drivers who think bikes don’t belong on the road — and even a few informed comments.

Note to Santa Clarita Signal — once a motorist drives off after hitting a someone, you can stop referring to it as a “possible” hit-and-run.

Thanks to John for the heads-up.

……..

Good advice: if you really care about the people who care about you, you’ll take the burden of making life’s most difficult medical decisions off their shoulders; I’ve put off completing my own advance healthcare directive far too long.

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Artists are invited to submit their bike-related work for Bikers Rule, an exhibition of bicycle art opening on December 8th. The deadline to deliver artworks for the exhibition has been extended, artwork may be delivered through December 6th; Submit a letter of intent and or a low res jpg to JohnnyMilwaukee@earthlink.net.

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Chances are, you’ve come across the famous Mark Twain quote “Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live.” But you’ve probably never read the full piece it came from.

Maybe you should.

It might just be the best smile you have all day.

……..

LADOT plans to redo the already damaged Spring Street green bike lane, and asks your help in staying off it until it’s ready. Streetsblog reports on Santa Monica’s bike signal detectors that have been popping up all over town the last few weeks. New solar lights now adorn the L.A. River bike path. Rethinking York and Colorado Blvds in NELA. After being sent back to the drawing board, the county promises a creative, visionary bike plan; then again, they could have done that the first time around. Remarkably, Malibu considers becoming bike friendly; thanks to the LACBC’s Alexis Lantz for forwarding the story. Riding in Riverside writes why he loves riding his bike. An interview with Sam Ollinger, a San Diego bike advocate and an author of one of SoCal’s best bike sites. A bike riding bank robber gets 14 years.

They seem to confuse the hell out of American drivers, but roundabouts reduce all crashes 37% and injury crashes by 75%, though poorly designed ones can put cyclists and drivers on a collision course. Bicycling offers advice on how to avoid eight common road hazards. Biking to break the cycle of obesity and bad finances. Regrettably, the always excellent Eco Velo will be calling it quits at the end of the year. People for Bikes says give other cyclists a smile or a wave when you pass; if you’ve encountered me on the road, chances are you’ve gotten at least a nod, anyway. Lovely Bicycle asks why women cyclists can’t discuss their bodies the way the guys do. A fascinating chart showing the muscles used when cycling. Seize the moment and live better through bicycling.

Tucson Velo reports on the sad non-cycling death of a popular local rider and bike shop owner; he sounds like someone we all would liked to have known. University of Oregon cyclists are surprised by the first bike traffic signal on campus. Olympic gold medalist Alexi Grewal abandons his improbable comeback attempt at age 50. When I linked to the absurdly anti-bike op-ed piece from Chicago columnist John McCarron the other day, I neglected to include a link to Steve Vance’s excellent point-by-point smackdown. A New Jersey cyclist is killed in a physically impossible crash, as the local paper reports he crossed on the wrong side of the road at high speed and hit the rear of an oncoming truck before caroming off into a tree.

The most popular and successful Critical Mass rides are the ones that avoid confrontation. Does it matter what you wear when you ride a bike? Uh, no. Attention Kiwis, Long Beach’s biking expats — aka Russ and Laura of the Path Less Pedaled — are headed your way. A 66-year old Borneo cyclist is killed just meters from her home. South African cyclists demand justice. And speaking of South Africa, I recently received the following email from Stan Englebrecht of Day One Publishing in South Africa:

I thought you might enjoy a project myself and a good friend have been working on for the last 2 years, called ‘Bicycle Portraits’. Our 6000 kilometer journey aimed to be a photographic study of South African commuter culture (something that is nearly non-existent here), but it’s turned into a portrait of a nation through the bicycles that they own and ride every day, revealing all manner of social, historical, class and cultural nuances never imagined. We are about to publish the best 165 portraits (from over 500 photographed) in book form, accompanied by 6 essays and beautiful watercolor maps for each portrait indicating where it was photographed. We are currently in the last phase of fundraising through pre-sales of the books (plus great extras like prints and special editions) on the wonderful Kickstarter platform.

Please have a look at www.bicycleportraits.co.za/kickstarter for our Kickstarter page, or visit www.bicycleportraits.co.za to see the project online – and please spread the word!

Finally, Rex Reese sends word of a mind-reading bike; if my bike could read my mind, it would probably refuse to carry me anymore. And a Chico CHP officer is injured just days from retirement in one of the strangest bike collisions I’ve read about, as he stops to aid a drunken rider.

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

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

Flying Pigeon’s popular Brewery Ride is on tap for Saturday, December 3rd. Riders meet at the Flying Pigeon LA bike shop at 3714 N. Figueroa ST in Highland Park at 3 pm, and depart at 3:30; this month’s ride will go to the Eagle Rock Brewery in Glassel Park.

The Claremont/Pomona area hosts its own toy ride on Saturday, December 3rd, sponsored by the Kevin Unck Foundation, with support from Coates Cyclery and the Back Abbey. Thanks to Michael at the Claremont Cyclist for the heads-up.

Walk Bike Glendale invites riders to join them in the Montrose Christmas Parade on Saturday the 3rd. Meet at 6 pm between La Crescenta and Rosemont Ave. on Honolulu in Montrose; contact Rye Baerg (rbaerg (at) gmail (dot) com) to RSVP.

The CXLA cyclocross takes place this weekend at the Los Angeles State Historic Park, with events rolling from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on Saturday the 3rd, and continuing through the same times on Sunday the 4th.

Sunday, December 4th, the LACBC is hosting its first ever evening Sunday Funday ride to celebrate the holidays. Meet at the Rotary Club Christmas Tree Lot, 568 N. Larchmont Blvd, at 4:30 pm. The easy two-mile family-friendly ride will stop to admire decorations, sing some carols and enjoy cocoa and cookies afterwards.

Join the Bike Oven in riding in the 67th NELA Holiday Parade on Sunday, December 4th. Wear festive clothing and meet at the Bike Oven, 3706 N. Figueroa St, at 11:30 to decorate your bike for the parade.

Monday, December 5th join the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition for a ride and rally before the WeHo City Council meeting in support of the recommendations by city’s Bicycle Task Force for a more bikable West Hollywood. Meet in front of the community center at Plummer Park at 4:30 pm, rolling at 5 pm sharp.

December 6th through 10th, Antenna Magazine’s Re:mix Lab will hit L.A. after a semi-national tour, featuring two urban Bad Boy bikes designed by Cannondale in cooperation with Junk Food Clothing. The art, music, fashion and cultural festival will unfold at 401 S. Main Street.

The West Hollywood Bicycle Task Force presents An Evening of Moving Beyond the Automobile: West Hollywood’s Commitment to Active Transportation (scroll to bottom) on Wednesday, December 7 from 7 to 9 pm in the Community Room of the West Hollywood Library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd.

LA Streetsblog is hosting an End of the Year Party on Thursday, December 8 from 7 pm to 10 pm at St. Andrews West Los Angeles, 11555 National Blvd. Streetsblog parties are always a good time, and well worth the suggested $25 donation; however, head Streetsblogger Damien Newton promises no one will be turned away if you can’t afford it. Chances are, you’ll see me there.

Friday, December 9th, the Midnight Ridazz host what may be the most important ride of the year, when they ensure that thousands of L.A. children will have a happy holiday with the 6th Annual All-City Toy Ride. Routes will begin from points throughout the city, converging on Downtown L.A. to collect the toys and celebrate the season. If you can’t make it, try to donate a few toys somewhere; every child deserves a toy for the holidays.

Santa Monica Spoke invites you to ride some of the streets included in the city’s new Bike Action Plan on Sunday, December 11th starting at 9:30 am; details to follow.

Tuesday, December 15th, Women on Bikes SoCal will host an Evening with Mia Birk, national bike advocate and head of Alta Planning. The evening begins with a bike ride starting at the downtown Bikestation in Long Beach at 5 pm, followed by appetizers, mingling and Birk’s talk at Open Bookstore, 2226 E. 4th Street.

Tuesday, December 27th, the LACBC returns to Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse for the 3rd Annual Mid-Winter Merriment, 2911 Main Street. Good beer, good friends, bike valet and a portion of all sales goes to support cycling in the great L.A. area. What’s not to like?

Category: General, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , ,

Catching up on the latest bike news — fighting for an Expo Bike Center, and a new Dutch bike site

December 1, 2011 / / 6 comments

After a linkless beginning to the week, here’s your chance to catch up before I batten down the hatches on a very blustery day.

……..

The Expo Line Authority has made a very misguided decision to delete a planned bike center from the new Culver City Expo station, saving a relative few pennies now while creating untold costs down the line.

The whole point of the Expo line is to provide an alternative to driving. Yet omitting the bike station will only encourage more people to drive — whether to the station or their destination — while discouraging people from biking to the train. And it will undoubtedly cost a lot less to build it now as part of the station than to add it on later.

The Santa Monica Spoke says it’s time to hold them to their earlier promises, whether in person at Thursday’s Expo Line board meeting or by emailing key officials. And Better Bike’s Mark Elliot shares his letter (pdf), and dissects Expo’s last mile problem.

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I got a press release yesterday from And Dutch, a UK-based website now intent on bringing authentic Dutch bikes and gear to the US and Canada through their new North American site.

With exclusive & award winning gents, ladies and children designs, www.anddutch.com, offers amongst its large product range —

  • Original Dutch Town bicycles for gents, ladies and children by BURGERS (The Netherlands oldest and first bicycle brand since 1868!)
  • Unique chainless & folding bikes by Dutch BEIXO
  • Colourful children’s balance bikes by KIDDIMOTO
  • Fixed / Free wheel bikes by FOFFA (+ free launch gift: front & rear KNOG lights worth $40)
  • Beautiful bicycle helmet designs by SAWAKO and HARDNUTZ
  • Saddles by world oldest independent Dutch saddle maker LEPPER
  • Stunning bags and panniers by Dutch NEW LOOXS
  • More (exclusive Dutch) brands to follow soon!

And also supplies other award winning brands by —

  • Dutch BASIL – with a  large array (over 70 different products!) of beautiful & high quality accessories
  • Elegant and renowned English saddle maker BROOKS
  • Must have  AXA locks
  • …and many more!

This could be a good resource for those hard to find Ditch bikes and accessories. However, you can already find some of those items right here in L.A.

Personally, I’d start your search at Flying Pigeon LA, where you’ll find a wide selection of Dutch bikes, some of which have even been road tested uphill.

If anyone knows of another local bike shop in the SoCal area that’s a good source for Dutch bikes and accessories, let me know.

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A great read from a Chicago cyclist refuting the absurd concept that supporting bikes means a war on cars. Definitely word reading.

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The county Board of Supervisors votes unanimously to request a more progressive bike plan; maybe it’s just me, but I’m starting to like these guys. The Times’ Hector Tobar takes a ride down Downtown’s new green bike lanes on Spring Street. Those quickly faded green lanes will soon be repainted; the damage occurred because the paint didn’t have time to set before the recent rains. Streetsblog names L.A. Planning intern Rye Baerg Government Worker of the Year. An overnight biking trip to Leo Carrillo State Beach. L.A. cyclist Alex de Cordoba writes for HuffPo on why more driver’s license checkpoints are needed. Two roundabout projects are moving forward on 4th Street. Practical bikes call for more practical racks; I’m just happy to find any usable rack when I get to my destination. Flying Pigeon’s next brewery ride takes place this Saturday. As if cars aren’t enough to worry about, a Burbank mountain biker encounters a black bear. Long Beach gets a new bike shop. Outside magazine names local bike scribe Patrick Brady’s Red Kite Prayer as the best of the nation’s top 10 biking blogs; can’t argue with that choice.

A memorial will be held Thursday for Anthony Martinez, the 6-year old Oxnard bike rider killed on Thanksgiving Day; nice to see a ghost bike has been installed in his honor and heartbreaking that it was necessary. A 10-year old San Diego bike rider is injured in a left cross, while another cyclist is seriously injured after getting Jerry Browned when a car tries to pass at far less than three feet. San Diego’s People’s Photographer takes a look at a bike commuting family. Take a short drive — or long ride — south to meet and ride with Mia Birk, president of Alta Planning + Design and former Portland Bicycle Program Manager. Or you can just wait until the 15th and meet her in Long Beach. A left cross is caught on camera; fortunately, the rider wasn’t seriously hurt. A San Francisco bus driver could face charges in the death of a cyclist last August. A Santa Rosa cyclist is killed after being hit by two cars. Palo Alto could get a bike bridge over Hwy 101. A bike novel by a Mill Valley writer is headed for the big screen. This is nothing to be thankful for, as California saw 27 traffic fatalities and 1475 arrests for DUI over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Biking could be beneficial to your brain. Congress may be trying to kill TIGER funding for bikes and pedestrians; can someone please tell me when and why the GOP became anti-anything but cars? New Federal regulations require consideration of cyclists when rumble strips are installed on highways. Bicycling explains how to quiet a noisy bike. A Tucson Trader Joe’s listens to complaints and installs better bike parking. Nevada is working on statewide bike plan; now there’s a concept worth exporting from the Silver State. A Salt Lake City columnist says it’s bad enough when vehicle to vehicle collisions occur, and worse when one party is totally vulnerable; amen to that. Fifty-six percent of cyclists run red lights in a new Portland State study. A Seattle driver is under arrest after running down a cyclist who refused to buy him a beer. My hometown is partnering with Colorado State University to study the economic impacts of cycling; that’s one study I’ll look forward to reading. Can a city that bans ebikes from paved trails be considered bike friendly? The city of Detroit offers great biking; some of the suburbs not so much. NYPD prepares for their latest crackdown on bicyclists, this time on the killer bikers of Prospect Park, while transportation advocates more rationally demand the city crack down on dangerous drivers. Maybe the solution is haiku traffic safety signs. Performance Bicycle has joined Bikes Belong. The right bra makes all the difference for winter riding. A long list of don’ts for women wheelers. Using your bike wheel to create animation, or using animation to explain cycling.

Canadian cyclists need more protection, and think side guards on trucks could help. Yet the country has a serious disconnect when it comes to biking, as 73% think cyclists deserve more respect from motorists, while four out of five Canadians think they won’t get it until they respect the rules of the road. British onlookers rush to the rescue when a cyclist is trapped beneath the car that hit him. The UK’s Department for Transport says slowing motorists is the best way to increase safety for cycling, yet London cyclists oddly object to being used as human speed bumps. Four people are under arrest for a hit-and-run collision that left a Brit bike cop injured. Call him Mark Cavendish, MBE. Bike journalist Carlton Reid discusses his upcoming book, Roads Were Not Built for Cars. Don’t criticize anyone until you’ve cycled in their shoes. Bicycling is vilified in Australia, despite being a nation of bike riders, but it’s getting big in Bangalore.

Finally, I haven’t always agreed with the OC Register’s David Whiting, but his latest column is dead on, noting that recent cycling deaths point out the importance of truly sharing the road. And a Santa Monica cyclist is behind bars after running two red lights with an outstanding warrant for DUI — and someone else’s wallet.

Seriously, if you’re wanted by the authorities and carrying stolen property, stop for red lights already.

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

Mandeville cyclists Jerry Browned, Dr. Thompson appeal denied, fight for your Expo bike station

November 28, 2011 / / One comment

Just a few quick notes before we get this week started.

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First up, I received word over the weekend about another dangerous incident in Mandeville Canyon.

A group of cyclists were descending the canyon at speed when they were Jerry Browned — passed too closely, in honor of our misguided governor’s veto of the three-foot passing law — at a high rate of speed by a Maserati Quattropote in what sounds like a deliberate assault.

Fortunately, the riders were all able to remain upright, and no one was injured.

But be careful out there.

It sounds like we’ve got a Dr. Thompson wannabe out there.

Update: I’ve heard from one of the cyclists involved, who promises full details on his own blog in the nest day or two. I’ll include the link as soon as it’s available.

……..

Speaking of the Good Doctor, word came over the weekend that the California Supreme Court has refused to hear his appeal. That means, barring any unexpected developments, he can be expected to serve out his term.

Which may have been what set out the Maserati owner, who may have been a neighbor of L.A.’s biking boogeyman.

………

Frequent contributor Jim Lyle forwarded an email looking for more information about a cycling collision over the weekend.

The accident occurred shortly before noon yesterday (Saturday).  I believe the biker was turning left onto PV Blvd from Malaga Cove Plaza.  The car that hit him was turning left onto PV Drive West after coming downhill from PV Drive North.  The car should have stopped at the stop sign.  I saw the biker on the small grassy median being treated by paramedics.  The white car was parked 5 car lengths beyond the stop sign.  The left half of the front windshield was shattered.  There was an ambulance and a fire truck but no media.

Let me know if you find any news about the accident.

Let’s keep the rider in our prayers. If you have any news — hopefully good — about the incident, let me know.

And the Orange County Register reports that a mountain biker was airlifted out of Modjeska Canyon on Saturday with a possible head injury; no word on the condition of the rider.

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Rex Reese forwards the obituary for Frederik Meijer, founder of the Midwest retailing giant. And more pertinent to our discussion, the man who helped start a network of hiking and biking trails in western Michigan.

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Finally, Steve Herbert invites you to join the Culver City Bicycle Coalition in fighting for the previously planned bike station at the Culver City Expo Station, which is in danger of being cut from the plans.

You can express your concerns at the next meeting of the Expo Line Construction Authority:

December 1st, 2:30pm
Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Board of Supervisors’
Hearing Room 381B

And he forwards a look at a new ad on the Culver City green buses, which expresses an attitude I think most of us share.

Category: Dr. Christopher Thompson, General, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , ,

A Thanksgiving thank you, editing Google bike maps, and Zev says back to the drawing board

November 24, 2011 / / 4 comments

I’ll be honest.

This has been yet another rough year, in a string of rough years that has gone on way too long.

And yet, I have a lot to be thankful for. Not the least of which is the simple fact that I’m here, and have a loving home and family waiting for me at the end of a ride.

That’s a lot more than some people have.

I’m also very thankful for you. Because it doesn’t matter what I have to say if no one bothers to read it.

So much for that question about a tree falling in the forest.

Thank you for coming by, whether this is your first visit or you’ve been with me from the beginning.

Please accept my best wishes for a very happy Thanksgiving for you and your loved ones. And my hope that we’ll all have more to be thankful for next year.

But if you want to read some heartfelt thanks from someone who clearly means it, try this one.

And People for Bikes says be thankful for biking.

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Another thing I’m thankful for is all the people who send me links and contributions, and help me put this blog together on a regular basis.

Such as frequent contributor Eric Weinstein, who offers his thoughts on Santa Monica’s newly adopted Bike Action Plan.

The Santa Monica Bike Action Plan was enacted by the City Council last night. This means that Santa Monica will budget the expenditure of 2.5 Million dollars for the next two years, and has grants to bring the total up to about 8 Million dollars. That’s a big bunch of money to improve cycling!  I think this will change the entire experience of biking in Santa Monica to a level greater than Portland. Santa Monica is on it’s way to increasing the bike mode share – aiming for 30%!

Some of the items: lots of bike lanes, sharrows, bike boxes, and green lanes for major east-west and north south signature corridors. The largest bike garage in the country – oops it’s already here! Some bike education/encouragement for students, and a bunch of other useful items – some signage to improve the overcrowded beach bike path. And a bike share. There’s a 5- year and a 20 year wish plan for better facilities. These will include: taking some parking for wide (passing lane) bike lanes, even more lanes and sharrows, bike parking at the coming Expo stations, and my favorite: a recreational cycletrack around the Santa Monica Airport. Bring on the Tour of California.

Hooray for progress! This is a major milestone in getting people out of cars and on bikes!

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County supervisor — and widely anticipated yet currently unannounced mayoral candidate — Zev Yaroslavsky says L.A. County should send the proposed county bike plan back to the drawing board.

The motion by Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky calls on the county Department of Public Works to create a bike plan that “will not just move us out of the 1970’s, but move Los Angeles County forward as a leader in 21st Century bicyclist safety and comfort.”

Specifically, the motion says that the plan should “promote the use of leading-edge designs such as those found in the Model Design Manual for Living Streets that was prepared by the Department of Public Health.” Those include “cycle tracks” that separate bike lanes from traffic with dividers such as a lane of parked cars, and experimental street design approaches—including the possibility of varied lane and sidewalk widths in some areas—that do not fall within current Caltrans standards.

The motion urges the county to take the lead in helping such street layouts receive state approval for broader implementation.

A longtime leader in L.A. politics, Yaroslavsky offers a surprisingly strong and influential voice in support of safer cycling in the county. And could soon join Austin Beutner and outgoing City Council President Eric Garcetti in a bike-friendly mayoral field.

Things are getting very interesting.

Thanks to Streetsblog’s Damien Newton for the heads-up.

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George Wolfberg, who I frequently rely on for some of our best links — as well as his incomparable behind the scenes contributions in reaching the right people and getting things — sends word of a rash of bike burglaries in the Brentwood area. He sends the following report from LAPD Senior Lead Officer Kirk.

  • 11/14/11 1500 Hrs – 11/21/11 1000 Hrs, 1300 Block of Wellesley Ave, Susp removed window to residence and entered the loc. Susp removed property and fled loc. Property taken was a bicycle.
  • 11/04/11 1800 Hrs – 11/08/11 0930 Hrs, 1800 Block of Stoner Ave, Susp cut bike lock and removed bicycle from parking lot.
  • 11/18/11 0400 – 0600 Hrs, 1400 Block of Barry Ave, Susp removed bicycles from apartment balcony.
  • 11/19/11 1200 Hrs – 11/21/11 0800 Hrs, Susp cut off lock and removed the bicycle from property.
  • 11/19/11 0900 Hrs- 11/21/11 0600 Hrs, 11300 Block of Wellesley Ave, Susp cut off lock and removed bicycle from carport area.
  • 11/20/11 1330 – 2130 Hrs, 1600 Block of Granville Ave, Susp cut cable lock off and removed bicycle from apartment courtyard.
  • 11/21/11 0645 – 0830 Hrs, 2000 Block of Colby Ave, Susp cut off lock and removed bicycle from property.

Officer Kirk suggests keeping your bike inside your residence, and writing down the serial number. I’d add that you should keep a current photo of your bike, register it, and lock it with a secure U-lock any time you have to leave it outside or in your garage.

Remember, weight doesn’t matter if you don’t have to carry it with you, so go for the biggest, strongest lock you can find to protect your bike at home.

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Another contribution comes from Alejandro Merulo, who calls our attention to Google Maps feature I was unaware of.

I wanted to let you know of a feature that readers of your blog may find useful. As you know in Los Angeles, a large number of bike lanes and sharrows have been added to our streets recently. These bike lanes should be added to Google Maps so that more people ride on them. Google has made it possible to do this for any user using Google Map Maker. It would be great to have other cyclists adding/reviewing these features. For example, today I added the Spring Street and 1st street bike lanes. But these additions need approval. There aren’t that many cyclists reviewing other people’s submission to Google Map Maker.

Sharing the ability of cyclists to add our routes to the roads will make them safer. If you could share this feature through your blog, many cyclists would appreciate it.

Not being familiar with this feature — and a little to dense to figure it out on my own — I asked Alejandro to explain the process.

The link for Google map maker is http://www.google.com/mapmaker. If you are in normal Google maps with the biking layers on, there is some small text on the bottom right that says “Edit in Google Map Maker.” Using a Google account, you can then draw lines along roads. Clicking next, you can then edit road attributes and add bike lanes. Once you have gotten this far, I found it intuitive to figure out other features. However, if you try these steps and still have trouble, let me know and I’ll be happy to assist you. You can see some of the work I’ve added if you type in “Spring Street and 9th Street, Los Angeles, CA” in the text box at the top. You can also see Community Edits like mine by clicking on “Community Edits.”

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Santa Monica’s Bike Effect hosts a trunk show of women’s cycling apparel from New York designer Nona Varnado this Saturday. L.A. wants your ideas on how to keep the city moving, including a suggestion to make motorists pay the true cost of driving. KCET Departures features Flying Pigeon’s always informative, entertaining and elucidating Josef Bray-Ali. Damien Newton unveils this year’s Streetsie Award winners, including a much deserved nod to the LACBC’s Colin Bogart as Advocate of the Year. Curbed takes you on a ride down the new Spring Street bike lane, which has bike parking, too. The Beverly Hills Bicycle Ad Hoc Committee considers the biking black hole’s first pilot projects. Cyclists make their case for a safer PCH while Malibu officials consider becoming bike friendly. Former Burbank city council candidate Garen Yegparian offers a spot-on look at the state of cycling in the Los Angeles area, and finds drivers in his own Armenian community among the worst offenders; definitely worth reading. This is what 10 years of L.A. traffic fatalities looks like, based on the Guardian’s map of U.S. casualties from the last decade; thanks to Simon for the link.

A San Diego cyclist thanks the life guards who saved his life. A San Francisco cyclist pleads not guilty in the death of a pedestrian; he’s accused of running a red light and hitting the 68-year old woman as she walked in the crosswalk with her husband. In a heartwarming story, an S.F. cyclist rescues a puppy while riding. San Jose cyclists pitch in to fix up a derelict bike path. A new bike rack keeps a Los Altos bike safe on a public street for four months. San Rafael cyclists celebrate Cranksgiving. A San Anselmo cyclist is in a coma after being found unconscious on the side of a fire road.

New Mexico cyclists install a ghost bike for a six-year old boy killed 21 years ago. In a classic chicken or egg equation, St. Louis County doesn’t build bikeways because not enough people bike; the current leadership in Ohio doesn’t seem much better. A Huntsville radio station helps ensure 2800 children will receive a new bike for Christmas. A Florida cyclist was drunk when he was hit and killed by an unmarked police car while carrying a case of beer in each hand. Dunedin FL officials turn down nearly $450,000 in Safe Routes to School funding because they’re afraid residents might object.

Nine-and-a-half years for on Oxford driver who deliberately ran down a cyclist; turns out he knew the rider if that makes it any better. A video guide to wearing tweed while you ride. Then again, if you really want to be seen, this should do the trick. Seven people face up to 2 years in prison each in the Operation Puerto bike doping scandal. A New Zealand driver is found guilty of killing a cyclist, despite claiming she just didn’t see him — which is usually the universal Get Out of Jail Free card for careless drivers.

Finally, North Carolina police kill a disabled, partially deaf cyclist by shooting him with a stun gun while he was riding. For any law enforcement personnel unclear on the concept, never, ever knock anyone off a bike while their riding unless you actually intend to kill them.

Because you just might.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Bike plans for SaMo and South Bay, miraculous recovery leads to pro cycling contract & lots of links

November 23, 2011 / / One comment

Tuesday night marked a big step forward for cyclists along the coast, as comprehensive new bike plans were adopted in both Santa Monica and the seven cities of the South Bay.

Update: Santa Monica Spoke reports on the bike plan’s passage last night, noting that several last minute improvements from the city’s Planning Commission were adopted by the council: 

  • Add to the 20 year vision the opportunity for a recreational cycle track at Santa Monica Airport – with connections to the remaining and proposed bike networks.
  • Pursue implementation of Bike Share prior to the Metro-funded project in 2016
  • Establish criteria to measure bicycle mode share to inform on-going investments and activities
  • Include at least one “central” east-west and north-south separated bike facility in the 5-year instead of the 20-year vision.
  • Establish a much greater priority for working with schools and Safe Routes to Schools programs
  • Provide annual reporting on the plan implementation
  • Highlight language about the potential for “open” street events like CicLAvia

……..

Maybe someone can explain to me how an 88-year old man can be run down in a crosswalk — while being helped across the street by his rabbi, no less — and it’s just an accident.

When elderly people aren’t even safe using while using a crosswalk, something is seriously f’ed up.

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A truly amazing story, as former Paralympic handcycling competitor Monique van der Vorst regains the use of her legs following a collision with a cyclist, after 13 years in a wheelchair — and will now compete on the pro cycling circuit with the Rabobank women’s team.

The only thing that could make this story even better will be when she records her first stage victory.

And if there’s anyone from Hollywood reading this blog today, what the hell are you waiting for? This is one story that was made for the big screen.

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Rethinking the mismeasure of L.A.’s broken streets. The L.A. City Council votes to re-examine the legality of sidewalk riding in the City of Angels, which is currently permitted as long as your not a dick about it. Riding a bike on Downtown’s newly green-laned Spring Street is clearly nothing new; LACBC recaps yesterday’s press conference. Will Campbell takes a picture of famed L.A. photographer Gary Leonard while riding them. Jose from Tijuana inaugurates Boyle Heights’ new semi-green bike lane. L.A. may be getting better, but we won’t be truly bike-friendly until we have our own bike jersey. Instead of spending $100,000 to educate Burbank cyclists, a writer suggests spending it on education for the city’s dangerous drivers instead.

Bike San Diego interviews new S.D. bike coordinator Tom Landre. The time is right to build a foundation for youth cycling. A cyclist gets hit in a left cross and police bend over backwards to blame the victim, and the press shows its bias by calling the adult 20-something victim a young girl; thanks to Cyclelicious for the link. Cyclists are the victims of strong arm robberies in Santa Barbara and Clovis. Teaching bike safety and service in Santa Barbara.

Bob Mionske associate Rick Bernardi examines when police invent imaginary laws in order to blame the victim. An ugly, stomach churning map of the nearly 370,000 fatalities in the U.S. over the last decade; if you can spend much time digging through the data, you’re stronger than I am. Hybrid electric vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in a bike or pedestrian collision as a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. A Phoenix father is shot and killed while riding to work. A Scottish skiing champion is killed by a drunk driver while biking in Oregon. Serial bike raging truck driver Christopher Loven will face charges in the death of a 73-year old Colorado cyclist. A Cleveland truck driver is headed for prison after right hooking a cyclist; thanks to Dave Moulton for the link. Why cyclists ignore bike racks; then again, too many bikes is a good problem to have. A Florida detective kills a cyclist who was somehow riding with a case of beer in each hand.

Great read from the UK — getting rid of the car may not be possible, but we don’t need to deliberately place cyclists and pedestrians in harms way. Separate but equal may not be the safest choice for road design after all. More on the Confused.com PR campaign that’s gone horribly off the rails. How to cycle in a skirt, or maybe just look like a grownup while biking to work. Yes, Dutch bike paths have speed bumps, but not to slow cyclists. The formerly amazing Jeannie Longo was acquitted of doping charges on a technicality, just months after her husband similarly escaped being held responsible for buying EPO; her reputation — and the respect and admiration I’ve long had for her — are another matter. Disgraced cyclist Riccardo Ricco receives a two-month suspended sentence for using EPO in the 2008 Tour de France. A New Zealand driver confesses to not seeing a cyclist before she hit and killed him; that should always be a confession, not an excuse.

Finally, in case you can’t decide whether to ask for a bike or a pony for Christmas — or a unicorn, for that matter. And it turns out that post-ride beer is actually good for you.

Be careful riding today. Many people will be getting off work early, and the streets are likely to be jammed with stressed drivers rushing to finish their errands and get home for the holiday — and they won’t be looking for you.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

Expo bike facilities threatened in CC, why cyclists don’t ride in bike lanes, caste-ing for a new bike

November 21, 2011 / / Comments Off on Expo bike facilities threatened in CC, why cyclists don’t ride in bike lanes, caste-ing for a new bike

Catching up with the latest news from over the weekend.

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The Culver City Bicycle Coalition urges you to write in support of bike facilities at the Culver City Expo station, threatened by the usual ill-advised budget cuts — which oddly never seem to threaten the massive amounts car parking; thanks to Steve Herbert for the link.

And like the cycling community, local residents want to know when plans for the Phase II Expo bikeway will finally move forward.

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Bike Newport Beach’s David Huntsman Esq., who I had the pleasure of meeting at the California Bike Summit, answers the eternal question of why cyclists ride in the road when there’s a perfectly good bike lane.

And in case you missed it the other day, the organization plans a 30-mile pre-Thanksgiving Day ride on Wednesday. Sound like a great way to work up an appetite for the next day (and don’t forget your holiday meal can also be purchased and delivered by bike); thanks to Frank Peters, who I also had the privilege of meeting at the Bike Summit, for the heads-up.

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Great story from India, as students pitch together to buy a classmate a bike after he’s denied one as part of a state-sponsored program because he belongs to a lower caste. He started skipping school when everyone else in the class got one and he didn’t — until his classmates pitched in the equivalent of half a day’s pay to buy him one themselves.

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Downtown Los Angeles gets its first bike lanes — and L.A.’s first buffered green lane, from Cesar Chavez to 9th Street; LADOT Bike Blog offers a great shot of the First Street bike lane in front of Mariachi Plaza. The San Gabriel Valley could soon see a green lane of their own. The nation’s largest bike parking facility opens in Santa Monica. After Alex de Cordoba is seriously injured in a hit-and-run, he calls for a crackdown on unlicensed drivers; fortunately, he’s bouncing back from his injuries. UCLA hosts a very short Bike to Campus week. Better Bike finds the recent Beverly Hills Bike Plan Update Committee meeting left a lot to be desired, and critiques the state of cyclist training by saying more needs to be done to train cyclists to survive in an urban environment. The Echo Park Neighborhood Council buys ten $110 bike racks, then discovers it will cost up to $1800 to install them — and they could have gotten them from LADOT for free. A possibly homeless cyclist is being sought as a suspect in the murder of a transgender woman. Burbank gets a $100,000 grant to benefit bike safety. Manhattan Beach endorses the seven-city South Bay Bicycle Master Plan.

Budget problems force Oceanside to put plans for a bike and pedestrian friendly Coast Highway on the back burner. Santa Ana residents worry a proposed bike path could result in an increase in crime; does it ever occur to anyone that the presence of riders could actually deter crime? Of course not. A Huntington Beach bicyclist files suit for injuries after her tire gets caught in a crack in a beachfront boardwalk. Once again, the Amgen Tour of California refuses to set tire behind the Orange Curtain. Evidently, it’s okay to shoot an animal from your bike as long as you’re not on a public roadway. Bike traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge is back to normal after a recent construction project.

Bob Mionske says three-foot passing laws — like the one ill-advisedly vetoed by our own Governor Brown — don’t work without enforcement from educated traffic officers. Do you — or even should you — say something to dangerous cyclists? A great photo series on classic biking celebrities. In an amazing comeback, triathlete Jordan Rapp competes for his second Ironman Arizona championship, less than two years after nearly being killed in a hit-and-run. Texas authorities bend over backwards to blame the victim, claiming a salmon cyclist somehow veered into traffic despite a clear view of oncoming cars. A 79-year old Phoenix cyclist is killed in a collision. Clearly, the upcoming Pedaler’s Fork won’t be the nation’s only bike shop, café and bar. Getting hit by a car doesn’t stop a Michigan bike advocate. A Tennessee election official faces DUI and vehicular homicide charges after killing a cyclist. An actress sues New York City for $3 million after she collides with a cyclist in Prospect Park, while park users — including cyclists — demand better safety, and the city tries orange barrels to slow cyclists. A University of Buffalo student offers a first-person perspective on what it’s like to live with killing a pedestrian on the road. Why is it that some drivers seem to think that we have no idea that cars are bigger than us and we’ll come out on the losing end of a collision? Well, duh.

A Toronto writer looks at the bike-unfriendly world around him after 50 years of riding and two recent deaths. Cyclists blow through stop signs because of simple physics. After too many deaths, and a successful protest ride by London cyclists, Mayor Boris Johnson finally requests a review of the city’s parking lanes bike superhighways, after being accused of ignoring expert recommendations. London’s equivalent of LADOT sits on a study showing women cyclists are more likely to be killed in traffic because they wait for red lights. A horrifying map of serious injuries and deaths over the last decade in Great Britain. Police increase patrols after a significant increase in cyclists along the planned London Olympic road course. Evidently, UK price comparison site Confused.com is, as they produce a sympathetic video of a driver commuting by bike for a week and a press release attacking riders. Cyclist versus cyclist as a rider participating in an amateur race collides with a recreational rider aware he was entering the course. This is one sign we should see more often. Retired racer Jan Ullrich rediscovers his love of cycling in the face of a lifetime doping ban. Touring Tel Aviv by bike. A top Aussie BMX rider is in a coma after a failed off-bike stunt. A Japanese cyclist circles the globe for world peace, while the globe-pedaling BiciClown is currently touring Japan.

Finally, if you order now, your new riding kit should be here in plenty of time for the holidays. Or you could get the physics of cycling tattooed on your calf, instead; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up. 

Category: General / Tags: , ,

Great food, coffee, beer and a bike shop — what more could L.A. cyclists want?

November 16, 2011 / / 4 comments

I love great food.

Not to mention exceptional coffee. And I’ve seldom been known to turn down a good beer, especially on a pleasant outdoor patio after a good ride.

So when I heard a group a cyclists was planning to open a new restaurant in Calabasas specializing in just that — and marrying it all with a small bike shop — they had me at hello.

I’ll let one of the restaurant’s creators, Gideon Kleinman, explain what will await you next year with the opening of Pedalers Fork.

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Front view of restaurant

Pedalers Fork was conceived by a group of riders who wanted to make a home for cyclists. A place that really has everything one needs to enjoy some of the greatest aspects of riding in our wonderful Santa Monica mountains.

Three of the four founding members just rode and completed the Leadville 100 and we are already training for next year, both on road and mountain. With that said, you can see that the passion is there for our pursuit of the sport and lifestyle. We wanted to create something where we could ride everyday, and enjoy the finest coffee, food and beer. Having partnered with a restaurant owner in the San Fernando Valley, we began to look for just the right space and community to establish Pedalers Fork. When we saw the space directly across from the Sagebrush Cantina in Old Town Calabasas we knew that was it. The community is there and a better location for roadies and mountain bikers hardly exists in Southern California.

We plan on having a variety of aspects that should appeal to the entire cycling community. The coffee will be furnished by our very own 10 Speed Coffee, which we partnered with and are bringing down from Hood River, Oregon. We will be roasting daily on site, and doing all of the most sought after coffee preparations and service. From single cup drips to the beautifully poured lattes, we will be bringing the a level of coffee sophistication that hardly exists in Southern California, and is so sought after by cyclists.

Rear view with cafe and bike shop

After, before or really anytime, Pedalers Fork will be an amazing place for cyclists and non-cyclists alike to dine. Our chef comes from one of the finest restaurants in Los Angeles, he is a cyclist as well and is crafting a menu specifically for the community. Pedalers Fork will be completely Farm to Table and will go to rigorous lengths to ensure that we are working with local farmers to get the absolute best and freshest ingredients. Meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, poultry and everything else on the menu will be sourced locally and will always be in season. We feel that many of the places available to cyclists don’t have the level of food in terms of quality and good healthy options that most cyclists really want.

Another of the post ride remedies that we knew we had to excel in was beer. We will have around 40 rotating beers on tap at all time and an extensive bottle list. From the micro brews of the Pacific Northwest to the oldest Trappist Ales, our selection will appeal to even the most discerning beer drinkers. We have likened our patio and bar area to a beer garden and want nothing more than to see everyone gathering at the tables and enjoying a few pints in the afternoon sun. We will be creating beer/riding clubs where people will get the chance to sample a variety of beers at a discounted price and enjoy them with friends, riders and anyone else who wants to join.

The last and perhaps the most crucial aspect of Pedalers Fork will be the bike shop. We wanted to make a meeting place for riders that can really serve them. We will have all the ride essentials; with tubes, tires, tape, food, etc, the shop will be a cyclist’s dream convenience. We plan on doing minor repairs if needed, but we are huge proponents of our local bike shops and we do not want to compete with them. It will be a fun place to watch races, pick up a few essentials, or just relax after a hard ride. Our self-locking bike rack will always ensure that your ride is safe so you needn’t keep looking over your shoulder to make sure your bike is still there. The shop will be the focal point of the restaurant and when not open, it will be lit and on display as a window into the cyclist lifestyle.

With all of these elements together, we feel that we are not only creating something perfect for cyclists and the community but will have an establishment that is totally unique. We are aiming to open around March and encourage people to friend/like us on Facebook (Pedalers Fork) and follow us on twitter @PedalersFork.

Thanks again and we look forward to riding with you all!

From left: Gideon Klienman, Head of Marketing and Creative Development, Owner/Partner Robbie Schaeffer and Chef Sam Baxter

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I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for March.

And at about 23 miles from my home, it’s easily within riding distance. Although after a few good beers, the ride back could be challenging.

Category: General, Guest Columns / Tags: , , , , ,

Double the links — OCTA bike victim ID’d, bike plan meeting in BH, London cyclists ride in protest

November 14, 2011 / / 3 comments

I already had a full load of links ready to go Sunday night when I set them aside to write about Saturday’s cycling fatality in Laguna Hills.

So settle in for a double dose of all the latest and greatest bike links the interweb has to offer.

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First up, the cyclist killed in a right hook by an Orange County OCTA bus on Saturday has been identified as 35-year old Romeo Jimenez-Zavaleta of Laguna Hills.

Still no word on whether he was riding on the wrong side of the street or on the sidewalk before entering the crosswalk. A reader named Bruce confirms that sidewalk riding is legal in Laguna Hills. And unlike the street, there is no right or wrong way on a crosswalk, though there is some question whether a badly worded state law allows cyclists to ride in or next to a crosswalk.

Either way, the driver should have been able to see someone in the crosswalk directly ahead of the bus.

And Mendocino cyclists mourn the death of 82-year old David Russell, who was a long-time fixture in the local riding community before he was killed by an 18-year old driver.

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The next meeting to discuss the proposed bike plan update in the biking black hole of Beverly Hills will take place this Wednesday, November 16th at 5 pm. If you ride the gilded streets of BH — or would if pedaling through the city didn’t suck so much — try to be there.

I’ll try not to take it personally that they scheduled the meeting for the only time this week that I can’t go.

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More on Metrolink’s new bike cars; thanks to Steven Vance for the heads-up. LADOT Bike Blog rides down to check them out; note that tandems and gas bikes are banned.

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After a second cyclist is killed at a dangerous intersection, London cyclists take to the road en masse to call attention to the city’s 10 most dangerous intersections and demand safer streets for everyone — including cyclists.

And despite what the city’s seemingly auto-centric mayor may have to say on the subject. A writer points out that the mayor is an experienced cyclist, and roads he considers ridable may not be safe for other cyclists.

London’s equivalent of LADOT says they’re sorry, and one board member agrees that the streets aren’t safe enough.

Meanwhile, over 300 Toronto cyclists hit the streets to call for better safety after a 38-year old cyclist is killed by a truck on the way to pick her son up from school, including calling for side guards on semi trucks, which might have prevented the tragedy. A local rider says if the city cared about human beings on bikes, she would still be alive today.

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A KCET blogger offers a surprisingly biased look at riding on the sidewalk from a pedestrian’s perspective.

Bike riders (with an attitude) bristle at these proposals, which would sour the outlaw aspects of urban bike commuting into the bourgeois rectitude of a Copenhagen or Amsterdam. Pedestrians – of which I am obliged to be one – just wish bike riders didn’t regard us as impediments to their speed.

Perhaps he’s suggesting that only bike riders with an attitude pose a danger to pedestrians, but it reads like an indictment of all bike commuters.

Unexamined in these discussions about what should and shouldn’t go on sidewalks, is the conviction among those who go about on wheels – either two or four – that wheels themselves have a natural privilege over those who are wheel-less, and that those who ride (bike, car, skateboard) are the betters of those who walk.

Lumping us in with drivers?

Now that hurts.

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KPPC’s Patt Morrison looks at the recent groundbreaking University of Wisconsin study showing increased cycling rates could result in up to $3.5 billion in savings from better air quality and $3.8 billion in lower healthcare costs each year — not to mention over 1,000 fewer traffic fatalities. And asks what it would take to get you on a bike.

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The first markings for what will soon be L.A.’s first green bike lane appear on First St; the rest is soon to follow. The UCLA Cycling Team invites you to participate in the Bruin Fall Century next Saturday. Burbank police worry about a rise in bike collisions and place the blame on cyclists, who may not know the rules of the road. Flying Pigeon rides for dim sum this Sunday. I love stories like this; a Burbank group repairs bikes to donate to needy children. Hint to Santa Monica cyclists — if you’re carrying drugs, don’t ride on the sidewalk. More on the Santa Monica Bike Centers slated to open at the end of this week; lost in the anticipation is news that Burbank is opening a BikeStop of their own. Does it matter if they don’t make a profit, since every other form of parking — and driving — is heavily subsidized? How would you like a 22-mile long east-west bikeway through the San Gabriel Valley? (Note: I originally wrote that the bike pathwould run through the San Fernando Valley; thanks to Rex Reese for the correction.) Three more bike thieves are behind bars, this time for a burglary in Agoura Hills.

A San Francisco cyclist faces a vehicular manslaughter charge for running a red light and killing a 68 year old woman as she walked in a crosswalk; if we’re going to hold drivers accountable, we have to be accountable, too. San Francisco cyclists can get free bike lights for the next month. Just Another Cyclist says whatever life brings, just keep pedaling. Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious offers photos from the San Francisco Bike Expo; we need to get something like that down here. A Union City cyclist is touch-and-go after yet another a hit-and-run. A Marin County physician calls for bike helmets for everyone, while a UK public service site seems to agree. A Napa driver warns readers about a scamming cyclist; sounds more like an urban myth to me.

Bicycling offers video advice on high cadence climbing, along with seven cycling moments that stand out in 2011. Bike Portland celebrates the T-shirt stylings of Long Beach biking expat Russ Roca. Bike-friendly Austin discovers bike corrals, while the local paper offers a great history of bike racing through the years. A hit-and-run driver turns himself in hours after killing a Minneapolis cyclist. An interview with the new head of Cincinnati’s Queen City Bike organization. The Indianapolis Star looks at the growing popularity of cyclocross. A Portsmouth woman is charged with DUI, while the cyclist she hit is ticketed for riding without lights. Does it matter where your bike was made? Every nasty driver is somebody’s friend — and could be a cyclist. A UPS driver acknowledges she saw a cyclist, but cut her off anyway. New York’s anti-bike backlash is nothing new, even though the new bike lanes have made life safer for pedestrians. A Florida university wants to turn North Miami’s only segregated bike path into a four lane street

The Department of DIY opens a branch in Mexico City, as local cyclists paint their own 5 km bike lane in just 8 hours for less than $1,000. Hamilton ON police have ticketed 54,000 drivers so far this year and roughly 525 cyclists; so which group is the scofflaws? A UK bike advocate is slowly bouncing back from life threatening injuries suffered two days after her helmet was stolen. A UK car website that supports safely sharing the road proves popular with cyclists. Someone is stringing rope across Brit roads and bikeways. As if cars aren’t enough to dodge, an Oxford cyclist barely survives a falling girder. How to stay motivated to ride when you see winter out your window; and if you’re riding through sheep pee, don’t forget your fenders. Bike Radar profiles Kozo Shimano — yes, that Shimano. Whether Alberto Contador wins or loses his arbitration hearing, cycling is already the loser; meanwhile, Alejandro Valverde is banned from his own presentation ceremony. Munich’s old cycle tracks can’t keep up with the increased demand. Bike are fashionable in China once again; then again, maybe they never really went away. Bangalore will soon get its first bike lanes.

Finally, a Canyon Country amputee rides his first century, raising nearly $3000 for charity. And though it’s not bike related — other than the great graphic — don’t forget the Great Venice Toy Drive through December 8th.

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

Fed bike funding — and your right to the road — in danger; an argument against mandatory helmet laws

November 8, 2011 / / 3 comments

Bend over.

The new Federal highway spending bill proposed by our own Sen. Barbara Boxer and Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe is out. And if it passes, we’re all going to get screwed.

The new bill not only cuts the amount of funding available for bike and pedestrian projects, it forces bike projects to compete with Recreational Trails, Safe Routes to Schools, and other non-bike and pedestrian projects for funding. Which means the smaller pool will be cut even further before anything bike-related ever gets funded.

The Alliance for Biking and Walking offers a good comparison between the current and the proposed bill.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, it also includes a clause that will forbid you from using any Federally funded roadway if there is a bike path within 100 yards. It doesn’t matter if that bike path is a slow, winding recreational path in crumbling condition that meanders far from where you want to go, you’ll have to ride it.

And you’ll lose the right to the road you’re currently guaranteed under the law.  Evidently, because you could, conceivably, get in the way of what our elected leaders clearly seem to think are more important road users.

And this comes from our supposedly liberal junior senator, who has inexplicably decided to do the work of the radical right for them.

No one thought is would be easy to protect bike funding in the current environment.

But I don’t think we expected to be the victims of friendly fire.

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The owner of Santa Monica’s Bike Effect writes movingly, and heartbreakingly, about the death of Robert Hyndman on the Rapha ride they sponsored last Saturday.

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Dave Moulton, former maker of some of the best bikes built in my lifetime, offers a thoughtful argument against mandatory helmet laws, “saying mandatory helmet laws do not make cyclists wear helmets, they make some people stop riding bikes.”

I wear a helmet when I ride my bike, not because I believe it will save me from serious head injury, but because I believe the little protection it does give can’t hurt.

Another big incentive for me is, in the event I am hit by a car and injured; when I make a claim with the car driver’s auto insurance, they cannot say I was negligent and contributed to the seriousness of my injures by not wearing a helmet.

Insurance companies are notorious for finding ways to pay less or not pay at all on a claim; why give them the opportunity to deny a claim by not wearing a helmet? Apart from that I believe this little piece of lightweight Styrofoam I wear on my head offers only a token amount of protection.

These are my personal views; I would not tell anyone they should or should not wear a helmet when riding a bike. I strongly believe that helmet use should be an individual choice.

It’s a good read, and makes the argument for helmet use — and against mandating them — in a clear, concise and rational manner.

And it should be noted that both of the SoCal cyclists who died this past weekend were wearing helmets.

I can’t stress enough that bike helmets are designed to offer full protection at impact speeds only up to 14 mph; they offer little or no protection in high speed falls, and none whatsoever to any other part of the body.

They’re designed to protect against slow speed falls, such as tumbling off your bike under normal riding conditions, or impacts at relatively slow speeds.

Mandating their use is more about making non-cyclists feel better about sharing the road with us than it is about protecting riders.

Evidently, Britain’s Parliament gets it.

……..

L.A. launches a virtual town hall to discuss mobility in the city. The York Street bike corral is back in action. Once again, Los Angeles considers ways to change the law that allows biking on sidewalks. Mayor Villaraigosa, Council President Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Mitch Englander decide that car dealers shouldn’t be taxed; no word on when bike shops will get a similar tax break. Meanwhile, Councilmember Rosendahl proposes a motion to keep Mandeville Canyon speed bump free; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up. The Times’ George Skelton concludes bike trails are budget pork. Last weekend’s Free the Streets brings a dose of bike culture to South L.A. Streetsblog plans an end-of-the-year party on Thursday, December 8th. Santa Monica’s proposed Bike Action Plan gets a hearing before the city’s Planning Commission Wednesday night, while the new Bike Centers open on November 18th. Get a gift card when you make a purchase over $250 at Cynergy. A new Long Beach-based website celebrates the beauty and benefits of bicycling for women. Long Beach’s biking expat Russ Roca says losing his car saved his life.

A ghost bike has been installed for Mark Leones, killed last month is a solo bike wreck, while Claremont Cyclist catches up with the long, sad list of ghost bikes throughout Southern California, and looks at Sunday’s Long Beach Cyclocross. The Newport Beach Bicycle Safety Committee needs more time than their one year term to complete their work; the only question is why they thought they could solve all the city’s bike problems in a single year. Monterey riders will have a chance to bike the famed Laguna Seca racetrack. Palo Alto gets a new bike plan; the city calls it ambitious, but what do local cyclists think? Martha Stewart parks in a San Francisco bike lane. SF Gate asks if it’s safe to ride while pregnant. If you’re looking for a serious challenge, consider next April’s Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic, an epic timed challenge offering up to 101 miles with over 10,000 feet of elevation gain.

Bikes Belong and SRAM partner on a new campaign to fast-track separated bike lanes. How to bunny hop — and how not to. The Reno Rambler looks at bike lane pushback, and concludes the vehicular cycling model won’t broaden the spectrum of riders. A look at 12 bike calendars for 2012. Tribal justice means no justice for a cross-country cyclist killed on a New Mexico reservation. A Colorado cyclist steals her bike back from the person who stole it from her. Now that’s bike parking. A Boston cyclist “accidently” rides a local freeway. Boston businesses decry a loss of 71 parking spaces to make room for a bike lane; maybe someone should point out that cyclists spend money, too — and are more likely to stop and shop. What to do with abandoned bikes in Gotham bike rooms. The New York Times architecture critic gets back on his bike to review the city’s bike lanes. A New York woman confesses she was high when she ran down and killed a cyclist, and gets rewarded with a reduced sentence. Someone somehow manages to massively crush a street full of cars. New technology could soon help keep drunk drivers off the road. Louisiana cyclists ride to raise awareness after three cyclists are killed in one week. After a cyclist is killed, Mississippi decides it’s finally time to enforce their three-foot passing law. For the first time, a Florida judge permits punitive damages in the case of a cyclist killed by a texting driver.

Toronto proposes to ban bike parking over 24 hours anywhere except bike racks; I assume that means the city is saturated with safe and secure bike parking, right? Bike-friendly Bogota mayor Enrique Penalosa loses his bid for re-election. The London Mail tours Pashley. David Hembrow argues that training riders rather than fixing the roads has failed UK cyclists. Campy unveils its new 11-speed electronic shifting system; it seems like this is an expensive solution in search of a problem, since the beauty of a bicycle has always been it’s simplicity. There will be no 2nd annual Tour of South Africa, after all.

Finally, from the Department of WFT, a driver corrects a cyclist for not riding in the non-existent bike lane, then tells him to break the law by riding on the sidewalk. And a bike riding child is injured in an apparent hit-and-run before being transported by ambulance.

On a Playmobil toy box. Seriously, what were they thinking?

Thanks to Dave Schneider for the Playmobil link.

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