Archive for General

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.

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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: , , , , ,

Update: Cyclist killed on Los Flores Canyon during Rapha Gentlemen’s Ride

November 5, 2011 / / 18 comments

More bad news.

Earlier today, I received word that a cyclist had been seriously injured during the Rapha Gentlemen’s Ride in celebration of Bike Effect‘s 1st anniversary, and had been airlifted out.

Unfortunately, when I returned home later today, I found word waiting from several sources that the rider did not survive his injuries.

According to an email on the Velo Club La Grange user the group, the rider — who I won’t name at this time, in case the next of kin haven’t been notified — was descending Los Flores Canyon Road near Hume Road above Malibu around 11:45 am when he lost control, and struck a wire guard barrier intended to keep cars from sliding off the road.

The writer says eye witnesses described it as a catastrophic accident, and notes that there was a doctor on hand; however, the cyclist did not regain consciousness before EMTs arrived.

So far, the only news reports misidentify the victim as a motorcyclist, based on a false report initial report from the CHP (see below).

This is the 60th traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 20th in Los Angeles County; this is also the 7th fatal solo collision since the first of the year.

Thanks to Chris K, Mark Elliot, Stanley E. Goldich and Todd Munson for information on the collision; my prayers for the victim, his family and loved ones.

Update: The L.A. Times says the victim, who has still not been publicly identified, was a 51-year old man from Laguna Beach, who was riding with his brother at the time. He was declared dead at UCLA Medical Center about an hour after he fell. However, the Times gets the time of the incident wrong, which occurred at 11:45 am, not just before midnight as they report.

Update 2: The victim has been identified as Robert Hyndman; read a moving letter from his brother in to comments below, or on my follow-up. There will also be a memorial ride for Hyndman sponsored by Bike Effects on the 13th.

Screen grab courtesy of Mark Elliot

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

Fallen Murrietta cyclist identified, and a whole lot of mostly very non-scary post-Halloween links

October 31, 2011 / / 5 comments

The cyclist who died on a bike trail near Murrietta Sunday morning has been identified a 60-year old Lee Andrew Tichenor of Temecula; the investigation is ongoing.

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I love this quote from Lovely Bicycle!:

“Coming back from Las Vegas a month ago, cycling in Boston seemed like paradise. Coming back from Vienna, it seems like a war zone.”

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Streetsblog hosts their next upscale fundraiser on Saturday, and applications are due to their Boyle Heights and South L.A. correspondents. Re-imagining Santa Monica’s Lincoln Blvd as a more livable street, instead of the living hell of a Class III bike route it is now. Cynergy Cycling invites you to get certified for track riding. Long Beach’s biking expats discuss how to stay married on the road. The next edition of Flying Pigeon’s popular Brewery Rides rolls on Saturday. A candidate for the CD 15 city council seat calls for a CicLAvia from Downtown to San Pedro; another promises to build out the Backbone Bikeway Network in the district.

Former San Diego Bicycle Coordinator Jim Lundquist bids a fond farewell. A Red Bluff rider survives a left cross that sent him bouncing 20 feet off a windshield. UC Davis students are the latest to get bike traffic school. A San Francisco cyclist suffers life-threatening injuries when a cab runs a red light. Three Palo Alto cyclists are injured, none seriously, when they’re hit by a car; reading between the lines, it sounds like either the cyclists or the driver was on the wrong side of the road, and we can probably guess which one.

People for Bikes questions why Congress is targeting bike funding; they’re not the only ones. Fat Cyclist offers a self-published best of. A bike means freedom on Chicago’s South Side; no different from L.A.’s Eastside or South L.A., or countless other places around this city of frequently fallen angels. A tongue-in-cheek response to a call from a Chicago alderman to license cyclists asks why not license feet, too. Safety concerns keep more Pittsburgh cyclists from becoming bike commuters. David Byrne and Janette Sadik-Khan discuss why New Yorkers insist on fighting over bike lanes. A Florida cyclist killed last April may have been the victim of an intentional buzzing.

Women riders need more awareness, not scaremongering. Clearly, cycle chic is nothing new. A UK cyclist was three times the legal limit when he was killed after blowing through a yield sign. British bike fatalities and serious injuries are on the rise. London’s Mayor Boris continues to put the convenience of motorists over the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. Britain’s approach to road safety is called deeply flawed; the widow of the first biking victim on the mayor’s biking superhighways fears he will just be another statistic. Welsh authorities offer a code of conduct for a popular shared trail. A Swedish study shows bike commuters sleep better, are less stressed, are healthier, suffer less exhaustion and use fewer sick days than drivers; question is, does cycling make you healthier or do healthier people choose to bike?  In one of the most disgusting legal arguments I’ve heard, an Aussie lawyer argues that his client had an obligation to watch the traffic ahead, rather than watch out for the cyclist he passed — and killed — in their equivalent of a right hook; if you ever wondered why people hate lawyers, this is a damn good place to start.

Finally, I’ve run over a lot of crap over the years — sometimes literally. But nothing quite as disgusting as greasy roadkill deer guts.

And best wishes to Zeke’s brother Dave who was scheduled to get back on his bike this week following a bad crash. 

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

Your Halloween weekend Linkapalooza, with extra scary GOP attacks on bike/ped funding

October 30, 2011 / / 2 comments

They just don’t get it.

Once again, Washington Republicans show their skill at thinking small by attempting to cut relative pennies in bike and pedestrian finding, absurdly declaring war on bike lanes in an apparent attempt to return the nation to the good old days of the car-centric past when men were men and drivers felt free to run riders off the road.

People for Bikes responds by saying we shouldn’t have to choose between safe bridges and safe streets, while cutting back on federal bike and pedestrian funding could leave our roads and bridges in worse shape.

On the other hand, I’m more than willing to trade the relatively paltry Transportation Enhancement set-asides for a federal commitment to a Complete Streets approach to every federally funded highway project.

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If you’re going to be attending next weekend’s California Bike Summit, Flying Pigeon has a bike for you, at just $30 for the full weekend.

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L.A. seeks TIGER funds to build out a 50-mile L.A. River bikeway. Buffered green bike lanes could soon be coming to Spring Street in Downtown L.A. Flying Pigeon offers a brilliant and amusing look at how we’ll survive a post-apocalyptic world without bikes; they seem to have given a lot of thought to the forthcoming Zombie apocalypse. Bikeside offers responses from two bike-friendly candidates for L.A.’s 15th council district. LACBC looks at last week’s 2nd annual City of Lights Awards dinner. The planned Village at USC wants your input on cycling at the new development. A Pomona cyclist is critically injured when a driver attempts to pass another car on the right. Hermosa Beach is the latest city to approve the proposed South Bay Bike Plan. Improvements to the El Segundo NRG power plant could mean detours on the beachfront Marvin Braude bike path through next May. Primary Resources offers a look back at L.A.’s 1975 bike plan.

The Amgen Tour of California is invited to bypass the Santa Ynez Valley. Why does Newport Beach force cyclists and pedestrians to contend with right turn lanes that act as virtual freeway onramps? Critical Mass cyclists help Occupy San Diego. What to do if — or more likely, when — a traffic light doesn’t detect you. That’s Grey’s Anatomy’s Patrick Dempsey on that bike; he’s been a big supporter of cycling throughout the country. San Francisco cyclists could soon attend traffic school instead of paying traffic fines just like drivers do; I’m told a similar plan is under consideration here in L.A. Do busy separated bike lanes pose a danger to disabled people? Cyclelicious points out a couple of newspaper columnists who’ve discovered the joys of cycling in Toronto and New Orleans.

Mark your calendar for the National Bike Summit next March 20 – 22nd in Washington DC. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration teams with the Ad Council to say “Stop the texts. Stop the wrecks.” One-third of drivers killed in traffic collisions tested positive for drugs. You could go to work as usual next summer, or you could own your own bike rental on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. A Seattle bike cam shows what it’s really like to commute by bike. You can spend a fortune on high-tech rain gear, or just buy an umbrella. The Colorado Highway Patrol finally gets around to investigating the death of a cyclist — four months after his death; how scary is that? A Chicago alderman calls for licensing cyclists, which is exactly the right approach if you want to create barriers to keep people from riding. These days, even Superman rides a bike. New York’s Columbus Ave bike lanes have significantly improved safety and proven popular with cyclists and local residents alike. Evidently, killing a cyclist while speeding with a suspended license is perfectly legal in the Big Apple; then again, so is leaving the scene of a fatal collision. Ten years behind bars for a Mississippi driver who killed a Dutch bike tourist while high on morphine. A Mississippi letter writer calls for banning cyclists on roads with speed limits over 25 mph in order to protect motorists from hurting us; anyone see a problem with that logic?

Bike Biz asks if the bike industry is spending enough time and money on advocacy; short answer, no; long answer, still no. Three simple steps to do bike parking right. A brilliant idea — you learn to build bikes, and your first one goes to someone who needs it. Introducing the world’s first BMW bike dealership; another sign of peak car? Riding through Northumberland on some great and not so great bikeways. John Lennon slept with his bike. Bicycling’s Bill Strickland reminisces about a fallen rider he never met. Much still needs to be done to make the 2012 London Olympics safe for cyclists. UK police are seeking a bike-and-run cyclist who left a pedestrian paralyzed following a collision. Bremen gets a bicycle barometer to go with their shiny new 25% mode share. A breathtaking preview of next year’s Giro. The intersection of bikes and Burning Man; Amsterdamize calls it the video of the year.

Finally, how’s this for scary? An anti-bike terrorist attempts to decapitate Aussie cyclists by stringing wire across a bike path. And even pointing a gun at a cyclist evidently isn’t enough to make the Tucson police give a damn.

One quick parting thought.

Why is it that we all assume when the Zombie apocalypse comes, we’ll be the ones running from the brain suckers and not the other way around?

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

Updates on Mark Leones and Margaret Conway, Box bites back on city bike ed and a bakfiets full of links

October 24, 2011 / / 6 comments

A few quick notes to start the week, starting with a few good follow-ups on two recent cycling deaths behind the Orange Curtain.

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The Orange County Register offers a nice profile of Mark Leones, who died last week after his bike hit a groove in the pavement on a steep downhill in Laguna Beach. They also provide a look at Margaret Conway, killed on her way home from work at Disneyland on October 13th.

Sounds like both will be very missed.

And thanks to the Register for their much-improved coverage of local cycling issues.

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In a must read, former city council candidate Stephen Box says the bike plan is great, but L.A. cyclists would benefit even more if all city agencies were to educate their employees on the rights of cyclists.

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LACBC has been selected to conduct a vital study of the economic effects of bike lanes and road diets on NELA’s York Blvd. KCRW’s Steve Herbert looks at the dangers of dooring and how to avoid it. Nagging pays off as Rick Risemberg gets bike racks installed in Playa del Rey. Friday’s monthly Critical Mass should be a costumed affair. Could separated bike lanes help transform Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock into a safe, sustainable and vibrant street? South Pasadena gets the San Gabriel Valley’s first bike plan. Simi Valley will soon connect a gap in a key bikeway, allowing cyclists to ride to the local Metrolink station. Evidently, those folks at the Bikerowave know how to party. The recumbent world holds it’s first trade show in Pomona this past weekend. Long Beach plans to survey bike use to determine next steps. One last chance to learn how to track race this year at the Encino Velodrome; speaking of which, if you’re looking for a good cause to support L.A. cycling, they could use the help.

Corona del Mar bike advocate Frank Peters beautifully captures the feeling of a single night’s ride; if you’ve ever wondered why we ride, this is a pretty good answer. A Navy corpsman is honored for saving the life of an injured cyclist in Oceanside last spring. NIMBYist landowners block extension of a Yuba City bike trail. A hit-and-run driver knocks down a homeless couple in Chico. A Sacramento cyclist helps capture three teenage home burglars. Richard Masoner, author of one of the nation’s leading bike blogs, barely survives a near miss with a brand-new Chevy crossover.

American cyclist Joseph Papp gets his penalty reduced to an eight year ban for doping, in addition to three years probation, including six months of house arrest, for distributing EPO and human growth hormone. Bicycling looks at energy bars. A Tucson cyclist is killed after reportedly running a stop sign, while Oregon Live asks if it’s worth it for cyclists to run red lights. The victim of a Brooklyn cycling collision was a well-known New York artist. An NYC community board backs off a proposal to license and register riders. Eighty percent of Manhattan voters embrace plans for a new bike share program. Kathy Perry and Russel Brand ride through Gotham. A New York Times columnist nears the end of his 4,100 mile cross-country bike ride; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up. A Mississippi driver faces up to 13 years for killing a Dutch cyclist while high on morphine. Cyclists rally to support a German bike tourist injured in a Virginia collision. A Florida cyclist dies after falling over a guard rail on a highway ramp; as always, the question is why?

Bicycling profiles Eddy Merckx, possibly the greatest bike racer of all time; meanwhile, another candidate for best ever is the 23rd best triathlete. Toronto police propose licensing cyclists to improve enforcement; yes, the solution to over crowded streets is to make it harder for people to get out of their cars. Despite five local cyclists hit by cars in just two weeks, Sussex, UK press call for a crackdown on selfish cyclists; they’ve got a point, it is rude of us to bleed all over their cars. Tensions rise between German cyclists and drivers, while the Transport Minister threatens to mandate helmets if user rates don’t rise. How the Dutch got their cycle paths; Dutch drivers and cyclists often share the road without exactly sharing the road.

Finally, a sad day as former Aussie cycling champ Bob Ryan passes away at age 73. And a special note to occasional Kiwi correspondent the Trickster, and any other New Zealanders who may be reading — congratulations on a well-deserved victory by the All-Blacks.

And don’t forget that President Obama is coming into L.A. at rush hour Monday night; sounds like a perfect excuse to bike to work.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Update on death of Mark Leones, a call for peace in Downey, L.A. County releases bike plan

October 20, 2011 / / Comments Off on Update on death of Mark Leones, a call for peace in Downey, L.A. County releases bike plan

Finally, a little more information on the death of cyclist Mark Leones in Laguna Beach on Sunday.

According to the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot, the 28-year old Costa Mesa man was riding with a group of six or seven riders when he lost control coming out of a curve on a downhill, struck the curb and was thrown from his bike, striking his chest and the back of his head.

Road conditions were not a factor, and no other bikes or vehicles were involved.

I can’t speak for you, but I’ve been in that same position hundreds of times over the years, where a slight wobble or patch of gravel could have meant disaster on a high speed descent.

We all want to credit our skill for the successful completion of a ride like that. But often, luck can be just as much a factor.

Maybe Leones pushed his just a little too far that day.

There but for the grace of God.

My prayers for his family and loved ones.

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The family of bike rider Genaro Ramirez calls for peace after his shooting death in Downey early Monday morning, and hopes no one will try to retaliate. It may already be too late, though, as the investigation continues into the death of cyclist Juan Gutierrez, who was shot and killed about 10 miles away less than 24 hours later.

My sympathy to the families of both victims.

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The County of Los Angeles unveils the final draft of their proposed new bike plan, offering a more than 500% increase in bikeways. Your last chance to comment of the plan could come before the County of Los Angeles Regional Planning Commission, Wednesday, November 16th at 9 am in the Hall of Records, Room 150, 320 West Temple Street in Downtown L.A.

Meanwhile, Oxnard’s new bike plan calls for 122 miles of new bikeways, while Bakersfield cyclists push for a new plan they can call their own.

And the City of Los Angeles is looking for federal funding to fill in gaps in the L.A. River Bike Path.

Update: I just got late word that the South Pasadena City Council has ordered its staff to draft a cyclist anti-harassment ordinance based on the recently passed L.A. law. Hat’s off to South Pass for taking this key step to protect cyclists — and taking the lead in spreading this vital law beyond L.A. city borders.

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The LACBC has reduced the price of tickets for next week’s 2nd Annual City of Lights Dinner to just $45 for both members and non-members alike. However, the planned Tour de Taste scheduled for next month as been postponed, with the date to be determined.

And Cannondale is teaming up with Junk Food Clothing to design two urban Bad Boy bikes to be officially unveiled at Antenna Magazine’s ReMix Lab in New York. The art, music, fashion and cultural festival will hit L.A. December 7th through 11th, at a site to be selected.

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My newly bike-riding brother officially announces he’ll be competing in the 2012 Yukon Quest.

With dogs and a sled, not wheels.

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In bike-riding celebrity news, Shia LaBeouf bikes his way back from a barroom beatdown, Gwyneth Paltrow rides through Central Park, and Will and Kate Boris Bike their way through London Town.

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Stephen Box offers a powerful indictment of L.A.’s frequently blocked bike lanes. LADOT explains separated bike lanes, and says the new Commuter Express buses will have triple bike racks. LA Cycle Chic discovers a new upscale bike shop on Venice Blvd. The Path Less Pedaled unveil their new 2012 Calendar; expect Russ’s usual breathtaking photos — and they’re working on new T-shirt and sticker designs to help pay their way to New Zealand for the winter. The Claremont Cyclist looks at last weekend’s Spooky Cross, and finds it spooky, indeed. Redondo Beach votes to approve the proposed South Bay Bike Plan and build it in 12 years rather than 20. Turns out California had a pretty decent bike route system over 100 years ago. Tour de Pink rolled through Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties last weekend. Doing the Furnace Creek 508 by fixie. All it takes to ruin a ride is a good screw. An angry cyclist delays a Bay Area Caltrain.

How slow is too slow for the Slow Bicycle Movement, and how chic do you have to be for cycle chic? The Urban Country explains what, exactly, a Dutch bicycle is. Dave Moulton says don’t be a gutter bunny. An unidentified Oregon drowning victim may have bought his bicycle in La Mesa, CA. Once again, an idiotic radio shock jock tries to boost ratings improve safety by calling for a ban on bikes, this time in Seattle; as long as he’s in the mood to blame the victims, how about ending armed robbery by banning banks and liquor stores? A Salt Lake City news anchor returns to the air eight weeks after being cut off by a hit-and-run driver. The recent Pro Cycling Challenge brought in $83.5 million to the Colorado economy. Oklahoma driver Tausha Borland files an appeal of her 24-year sentence for running down three cyclists, killing two, after drinking and taking pain killers; Witch on a Bicycle calls for respectful letters to the judge considering her appeal. Which one is really the a**hole — the slow cyclist or the impatient driver? No helmets necessary for New York bike share riders. A popular bayfront Brooklyn bike path is a mess; I so know the feeling. A Hudson Valley ninja cyclist is killed; always, always use lights and at least some light-colored or reflective clothing after dark. Politicians on both sides of the aisle agree bikes are cool. Maybe the tide is finally turning when it comes to justice for South Carolina cyclists, if you consider 90 days and five years probation justice. Zeke makes a mess of building a building a bike rack but gets it right eventually. Bike trails pump $42 million into the Central Florida economy; link via Baltimore Spokes. A fatal Florida hit-and-run may have been homicide, or maybe not.

Almost inevitably, fashion designers discover the bicycle. Not all bike racers ride marvels of modern science. Should corporate manslaughter charges be filed when known road defects cause bike or pedestrian fatalities? A new online photo library will offer free images of happy cyclists and positive infrastructure. A UK town provides bike lockers to protect local’s rides. A Sussex cyclist is deliberately assaulted with a jeep after asking the driver to kindly get off the sidewalk. Lancashire police are cracking down on bike theft, but does anyone ride with proof of ownership? Feast your eyes on next year’s official time-trial heavy route for the Tour de France. Riding two-way bike lanes on Vienna’s one-way streets. Copenhagen Cycle Chic on the five senses of cycling. Two Moscow cops run down a rider after getting drunk on the job. When a toddler is run down by a Chinese hit-and-run driver, bystanders just walk around — or drive over — the child.

Finally, even a clown can be a victim of bike theft. But at least they get it back. And look for a tongue-in-cheek — among other places — parody of the popular Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. But it may not be a bike he’ll be riding this time.

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