Archive for General

It’s all about the River Ride, and a long list of weekend links

June 4, 2011 / / One comment

This weekend, it’s all about the L.A. River Ride on Sunday.

KCRW’s Shortcuts looks at the River Ride, while Damien Newton demonstrates his scary knowledge of One Tree Hill in honor of Grand Marshal Austin Nichols. And if you read this early enough, Will Campbell invites you to join him and other volunteers in the annual tradition of marking the route; the photo alone is worth the click.

You can expect Nichols to be there on Sunday, along with Mayor Villaraigosa and a camera crew from KTLA. As well as a few thousand happy cyclists, including yours truly.

You can find me on the 70 mile ride, and signing up new members in the LACBC booth afterwards — assuming I can still stand at that point. Though I may have to sneak off for a cold 1554 at the New Belgium Brewing booth at some point.

And don’t forget the after party at Home Restaurant, 2500 Riverside Drive, with $3 New Belgium pints all day.

After all, you have to do something to get your strength back, right?

……..

Some other notable events this weekend:

Saturday, June 4th, the Palms Neighborhood Council and the LAPD’s Pacific Division is sponsoring the 2011 Bike Rodeo from 10 am to 2 pm at Palms Elementary School, 3520 Motor Ave; events include a bike safety course, safety inspection, radar speed test and a bike giveaway, as well as live entertainment and free food.

Folk Art Everywhere explores the historic West Adams District on their next bike tour on Saturday, June 4th; expect an easy, fun and fascinating ride perfect for beginning to moderate cyclists. Meet at Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Avenue in Los Angeles, at 11 am, with the ride starting at 11:15.

Flying Pigeon hosts their monthly Brewery Ride on Saturday, June 4th from 3 to 5:30 pm; meet at Flying Pigeon Bike Shop, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park.

……..

Following the death of Nick Venuto and the serious injuries to Baron Herdelin-Doherty in San Diego on Wednesday, both Caltrans and local cyclists question whether the bike path they were riding on is safe enough. And Bike Crave remembers a man he barely knew.

……..

As noted Friday morning, Mayor Villaraigosa shook up LADOT, appointing Deputy Mayor Jaime De La Vega to head the troubled department, among others; Damien Newton calls the appointment a safe choice and asks if it was the right choice.

……..

Goodbye to Sirinya of UCLA’s Be A Green Commuter blog, who’s moving on with her career; she did a great job helming BAGC, and I learned a lot from her. Good luck in the new position.

……..

As Chris points out, sometimes you just have to ride, even if you’re going in the wrong direction. The Bicycle Shop Decal Project offers a great way to kill a few minutes, or hours. LAPD bike point man Sgt. David Krumer answers readers’ questions on Streetsblog. Examined Spoke says if you focus too much on poor cyclists, you could lose them once they reach middle class. The latest Beastie Boys video features at least eight I. Martin customers. A look back at a successful Bike Month in Glendale. Great news for cyclists as Angeles Crest Highway finally reopens. Camarillo cyclist Chris Barton had less than a week to prepare for the Giro. The next round of workshops for the South Bay bike plan are coming up later this month. A Santa Ana councilwoman rides her bike to fight OC’s status as the state’s second fattest county. Huntington Beach offers traffic school for ticketed cyclists, something that was also included in L.A.’s new bike plan.

Tucson Velo looks at Oceanside’s riding scene. Authorities credit a 9-year old’s bike helmet for saving his life after he was hit and pinned under an SUV. Cyclelicious fills you in on the status of bike related bills in the state legislature; the three-foot passing bill passes the state Senate and moves on to the Assembly. Joe Linton looks at bike facilities in Baghdad by the Bay. A San Jose father builds a homemade trike to help his son recover from a brain injury. Bay Area children are involved in more bike collisions than any other age group. Yet another sign of the bike boom as Caltrain commits to two bike cars on every train.

Bob Mionske offers his usual great advice on how to avoid collisions, and what to do if you have one; seriously, take notes — I failed this test in real life. Bicycling offers a revue of stylish bike baskets, which will never, ever grace my road bike. The hottest trend in cycling is just ride, already. Neil Browne explains why he’s not taking down his Lance Armstrong poster. Twenty percent of all collisions are related to driveways, as many cyclists can attest. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood plans to bike to work on Monday. The culture of carnage needs to change. Dave Moulton says it’s never too late to insist on bike/ped access for a new bridge. A Florida non-profit fixes up bikes and gives them to the homeless. However, if you visit Florida, you might want to avoid Lee County, the most dangerous county in the U.S. for cyclists.

Nearly three-quarters of Toronto residents want more bike lanes. An 82-year of British man dies after rear-ending a stopped truck during a time trial. A British motorist is killed by an enraged rider after dooring a group of cyclists. Maybe Copenhagen has finally gone too far in welcoming cyclists. People for Bikes looks at Seville’s remarkable transformation.

Finally, Ewan McGregor, fixie fanatic. The food truck fad shrinks as El Tacobike hits the streets of Oakland.

And you’ve probably already seen the inspirational speech that follows a kid’s first successful bike ride.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Winner(s) announced in our free River Ride contest; last day for online discount

June 1, 2011 / / Comments Off on Winner(s) announced in our free River Ride contest; last day for online discount

How about a little good news for a change?

Over the weekend, the staff of the LACBC’s 11th Annual L.A. River Ride narrowed the list of contestants to win a free entry to this Sunday’s event to just two finalists.

Then couldn’t decide between the two.

So they asked if I’d mind if we just declared a tie and gave the prize to both. Yeah, like I’m going to object to a little extra generosity for my readers.

So congratulations to Shalimar Gonzales, who recently moved to L.A. and wants to use the River Ride to make new friends and push herself to finish her first long distance ride. And to personal trainer and inspirational writer Jason Johnson, who wants to inspire others to fulfill their dreams and become the best version of themselves.

Both of you will receive a certificate for a free River Ride entry by email within the next day or so; just print that out an bring it to the River Ride on Sunday with your ID to receive your free ride.

And thanks to everyone who entered. Even though you didn’t win, you can still save $10 by registering online with special discount code TEDBC11(case sensitive), exclusively for BikingInLA readers.

But don’t wait — online registration ends today!

………

Speaking of the Bike Coalition, the LACBC’s Allison Mannos and Adrian Leung draw a connection on Streestblog between bicycling in developing countries and low-income cyclists of color in the U.S. Definitely worth a read.

………

No updates yet on last night’s freak collision that took the life of one cyclist and seriously injured another when an SUV ran off a San Diego Freeway and flipped over onto an off-road bike path. More news when it becomes available.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Run over by a riding mower, near-killer PV speed bumps to stay

May 31, 2011 / / 9 comments

As some of you may know, my oldest brother runs a dog team up in the Anchorage area, competing in the famed Iditarod sled dog race four times, and finishing three.

The other left him and his team huddled in a shelter in subzero temperatures, waiting for rescue with a broken sled — not to mention a broken leg, frostbite and a bruised shoulder.

The dogs were just fine, though.

So maybe he was in the market for a safer form of transportation, or one that works a little better once the snow melts. Or maybe, like the rest of us, he was just trying to save a little with the current sky high price of gas.

Regardless, my brother, Eric O. Rogers — perhaps the only particle physicist and dog musher on the planet — has now officially joined the ranks of bike riders.

And promptly gotten himself run over.

By a riding mower.

It seems he rode his bike to the local Lowes home improvement store, and stopped in the parking lot to ask an employee where he could find a bike rack. And as he was stopped on his bike, he was hit by man on a riding lawnmower.

Fortunately, the mower wasn’t in use at the time, and he escaped with nothing more than a little road rash.

And I’m sure you already know the answer to the question that nearly got him turned into mulch.

Lowes, at least that one, doesn’t have bike racks.

………

In a decision that defies common sense, the City Council of Palos Verdes Estates has voted to keep the speed bumps that nearly killed cyclist Richard Schlickman.

As you may recall, Schlickman was critically injured when he hit the newly installed speed bumps — excuse me, speed cushions — while riding downhill at speed, with little or no warning to cyclists that they had been built on a popular riding route. He had been riding downhill at speed when he hit the bumps, sliding nearly 80 feet down the roadway before coming to a stop; fortunately, word is he continues to make slow but steady improvement from what could have been a fatal fall.

But rather than remove or replace the potentially killer cushions, the council inexplicably voted to keep them in place.

Evidently, they haven’t yet crippled or killed enough cyclists in their effort to tame local traffic. Maybe someone should tell them there are alternative methods to calm traffic that don’t put riders lives at risk.

I hope PVE has a good lawyer.

Thanks to Jim Lyle for the heads-up.

………

Hap Dougherty shares another great set of cycling photos. This time, it’s a Memorial Day ride that took him from Westwood’s Los Angeles National Cemetery, throughout the Westside and up the L.A. River Bike Path — home to this weekend’s L.A. River Ride.

It does make you wonder why the cemetery insists on banning bikes, when so many riders just want to pay their respects.

Myself included.

………

Over the weekend I found myself drawn into a discussion on the West Seattle Blog, possibly the nation’s leading hyperlocal news site — sorry Patch — managed by a couple of longtime friends.

One of their readers was shocked and offended to see a cyclist towing his child in a bike trailer, assuming imminent danger — if not death — for the parentally neglected kid.

Problem is, while motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for children, few, if any, of those deaths result from collisions with bicycle trailers. In terms of sheer numbers, children are at far greater risk riding in a car with their parents, or simply walking on the sidewalk.

One of the writers tried to make the point that even if just one child was killed as a result of riding in a bike trailer, it would be one too many — especially if it was your child.

That conveniently ignores the nearly 7,000 or more passengers killed in motor vehicle collisions each year — many of them children. As well as the more than 4,000 pedestrians of all ages killed every year. Each of whom was someone’s child.

So rather than getting up in arms over a potential, hypothetical danger, we should be concerned about the proven risk posed by careless, aggressive, intoxicated or distracted drivers, who kill over 33,000 people on American streets every year — including a minimum of 630 cyclists.

Sadly, there are none so blind as those who cannot see through the glare of their own windshields.

……..

Finally, thanks to Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious for stopping by to say hi as he passed through town over the weekend, along with his lovely family. It was a true pleasure to finally meet someone I’ve only traded emails with, and who’s work I have always enjoyed and admired.

And while I neglected to take any pictures, he did capture great shot of the new intern, who has been helping more than she knows by sleeping behind the sofa this morning and allowing me to work uninterrupted for a change.

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

Valencia sentencing delayed, upcoming events and a little light reading for your holiday weekend

May 28, 2011 / / Comments Off on Valencia sentencing delayed, upcoming events and a little light reading for your holiday weekend

Dj Wheels reports that yesterday’s scheduled sentencing for Marco Antonio Valencia in the drunken and stoned hit-and-run death of cyclist Joseph Novotny has been delayed until next month.

The defense has challenged Valencia’s conviction based on a charge of juror misconduct. As a result, the judge has continued sentencing until June 28th, when he will rule on the defense motion: if he denies the motion, sentencing will take place on the spot, if not, there is a possibility of a retrial in the case.

Despite the delay, the judge allowed Novotny’s widow and family to give their victim impact statements for the record. Wheels reports that each one spoke movingly about the deep sadness that resulted from his death, as well as his kind and unselfish nature; Novotny’s mother also offered photos of Joseph to Valencia’s family.

………

A blogging caregiver discusses how to keep new drivers safe, reminding parents of something that will resonate with many cyclists:

New drivers must realize that a car is a dangerous weapon and it is critical that they focus on their driving and be cognizant of everything around them.

Most not-so-new drivers could use the same reminder, as well.

Thanks to Stanley Goldich for the heads-up.

………

In Giro d’Italia news, the erotically named Eros Capecchi wins Stage 18, while Paolo Tiralongo wins Stage 19 as race leader Alberto Contador declines to contest the finish against his former teammate.

Speaking of Contador, his appeal hearing on doping charges has been delayed, and probably won’t be concluded until after the Tour de France. Which means if he wins yet another victory this year, it could be invalidated afterwards — if he’s even allowed to compete with the cloud hanging over his head.

Meanwhile, the Atlantic says it’s impossible to separate the doping accused Lance from the anti-cancer do-gooder; the Times’ Bill Dwyre is troubled that more people aren’t troubled.

………

The holiday weekend is a little quiet on the local bike scene, but a lot of events wait just down the road.

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

San Gabriel Valley riders can meet for a Memorial Day Weekend “What-the-Heck” ride on Sunday, May 29th; meet at Granada Park near Fremont Ave and Montezuma Ave in Alhambra at 9 am, with the ride rolling at 9:30.

Santa Monica hosts Bike It! Day on Wednesday, June 1st, to encourage local students to bike and walk to school.

Saturday, June 4th, the Palms Neighborhood Council and the LAPD’s Pacific Division is sponsoring the 2011 Bike Rodeo from 10 am to 2 pm at Palms Elementary School, 3520 Motor Ave; events include a bike safety course, safety inspection, radar speed test and a bike giveaway, as well as live entertainment and free food.

Folk Art Everywhere explores the historic West Adams District on their next bike tour on Saturday, June 4th; expect an easy, fun and fascinating ride perfect for beginning to moderate cyclists. Meet at Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Avenue in Los Angeles, at 11 am, with the ride starting at 11:15.

Flying Pigeon hosts their monthly Brewery Ride on Saturday, June 4th from 3 to 5:30 pm, followed by the Spoke(n) Art Ride on Saturday, June 11 and the Get Sum Dim Sum Ride on Sunday, June 19th. All rides meet at Flying Pigeon Bike Shop, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park.

Join me, and thousands of other cyclists at L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride on Sunday, June 5th with the 11th Annual River Ride; advance registration is open through Wednesday the 1st; use special discount code TEDBC11 (case sensitive) to get a $10 discount on online registration courtesy of BikingInLA. Volunteers are still needed, and based on my experience last year, it’s about as much fun as you can have without actually riding; email RRvolunteer@la-bike.org for more info and to sign up.

If you can make it up to Sacramento on Sunday, June 12th, Ride4Matt is sponsoring a charity ride to benefit Matthew Wietrick, who was seriously injured while riding last February. Choose from routes of 10, 35 and 70 miles, with a $7 BBQ lunch after the ride; donations gratefully accepted.

Also on Sunday, June 12th, Flying Pigeon is hosting an evening with Yves Engler and Bianca Mugyenyi, authors of “Stop Signs: Cars and Capitalism on the Road to Economic, Social and Ecological Decay.” It takes place beginning at 7 pm at Flying Pigeon, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park.

Flying Pigeon Bike Shop will host a fundraising bike ride and party to benefit Streetsblog LA on Friday, June 17th, beginning and ending at Flying Pigeon, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park; ride meets at 6 pm, with party to follow at 8 pm.

The July 10th CicLAvia has been cancelled, but the October 9th event is a definite go, with an expanded route taking participants another 2.5 miles into Boyle Heights.

Tuesday, August 30th, Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse will host a benefit night for Streetsblog LA; 5% of all food and drink purchases will benefit Streetsblog; 2911 Main Street.

And mark your calendar for the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat on October 9th; you’d think someone in the scheduling department would have noticed that the 9th is Yom Kippur this year.

………

Austin Nichols meets the Queen Mary in the LACBC’s third River Ride promo. Two-wheeled sight seeing tour company Bike and Hikes LA opens a West Hollywood storefront. A Santa Clara University professor is seriously injured in a classic left cross collision, while the local paper blames the victim. A 75-year old Corning cyclist is killed after riding through a stop sign into oncoming traffic — just two doors from his own home. Another unidentified cyclist is killed in Tulare County — the driver claims he just didn’t see him, but doesn’t explain why he was driving on the shoulder; thanks to Danny Gamboa for the link. San Francisco’s first bike lane celebrates it’s 40th birthday.

As gas prices increase ridership, lawmakers continue to gut bike programs. Good busts popular myths about biking. A Tucson-area cyclist develops a one-ear ear pod that funnels your full iPod output into a single channel. Colorado National Monument celebrates it’s 100th birthday by denying the new USA Pro Cycling Challenge a permit to follow the Tour of the Moon course made famous by the late Coors Classic. Kansas becomes the 14th state to require interlock devices for drunk drivers; something we seem to desperately need here. Chicago talks about protected bike lanes. New York cyclists prepare a class action lawsuit in response to the NYPD’s heavy-handed crackdown. The anti-bike bikelash spreads to Philadelphia; Stanley Goldich reminds us about Bob Mionske’s insightful look at the subject.

Toronto’s new mayor seems to like bike lanes, as long as they don’t get slow down cars. Three years later, British authorities decline to file charges in the death of a 17-year old cyclist; and I thought our justice system was slow. Czech artists develop another DIY bike lane that’s projected in front of you as you ride. Cape Town, South Africa is named one of the world’s 15 most bike-friendly cities; from what I’ve read, the rest of the country has a long way to go. Jakarta cyclists turn out for the official opening of the city’s first bike lane.

Finally, a British rider barely avoids becoming the meat in a bus sandwich. And apparently, my 15 minutes of fame has extended into a blind Bike Snob link; by my calculation, that leaves about 12 minutes and 37 seconds left.

Category: Bikes & the Law, General, Legal Cases / Tags: , , ,

Wednesday’s ride, on which I got downtown faster and happier on two wheels than four. Or more.

May 26, 2011 / / 2 comments

I had a meeting downtown on Wednesday night.

That’s not unusual for me anymore. After years of seldom venturing east of LaBrea, I now find myself making the 12.5 mile trip from my home on the Westside to the newly vibrant Downtown L.A. on a nearly weekly basis. Sometimes several times a week.

More often than not, I make the trip by bike or bus, mostly due to a lack of what I would consider secure bike parking. While that situation is slowly improving, I’m still no more comfortable leaving my bike on the street than I would be locking my laptop to a light pole.

Call me paranoid.

But at least it’s kept me from having to replace a bike after someone else rides off with it.

My old apartment was just off Santa Monica Blvd, making the 704 or 728 buses an easy and convenient option for me. The 728 offered an especially pleasant trip — at least compared to most other Metro buses — getting me from door to door in 45 minutes to an hour in most cases, with a minimum of discomfort.

Now that I’ve moved a few blocks away, it takes 25 minutes just to get to the 728. But I still prefer that to Wilshire Blvd’s 720 line, even though that’s just a couple blocks from where I am now.

The heavy congestion on Wilshire means that the same trip that takes less than an hour on the 728 can take up to an hour-and-a-half on the 720. And the abysmally pitted, pocked and potholed pavement on what was once L.A.’s glittering centerpiece boulevard virtually guarantees a jolting, stomach churning ride the entire way.

Which is why Wilshire needs a Bus Only Lane for the entire distance through Los Angeles, from the Santa Monica border to downtown.

And why I challenge Councilmembers Paul Koretz and Bill Rosendahl to ride the 720 to City Hall just once — and then try to justify excluding key Westside sections rather that taking a necessary step to improve transit for everyone.

And don’t forget that bikes are allowed to share bus lanes, which means a BOL the full length would result in new smooth pavement and a clearer traffic lane on a street that is virtually unridable now.

So I often find myself making the trip by car, much against my wishes.

Then again, that’s no piece of cake, either.

During the day, a trip downtown can take as little as 45 minutes; at rush hour, that balloons to a mind and butt numbing hour or more. Sometimes a lot more.

To drive all of 12.5 miles.

Then there’s the problems posed by L.A.’s notoriously impatient and aggressive drivers, making the simple act of driving seem like a game of bumper cars. And once I finally arrive, there’s the challenge of finding parking that won’t exceed my income for the previous week.

Fortunately, Wednesday’s meeting took place in a bike-friendly environment where I could take my bike safely inside.

So I made plans to ride with a friend, allowing enough time for a leisurely ride to the city center. But then complications arose, not the least of which was the need to walk the dog, who was impatiently nuzzling her leash with her legs metaphorically crossed, suggesting that waiting for my wife to get home to take her out might not be the best idea.

So I had to tell him to go ahead without me.

My friend, not the dog.

I briefly considered taking the car, but just couldn’t face the prospect of yet another commute from hell. Instead, I hopped on my bike for a solo ride downtown, leaving myself just over an hour to make the trip.

After taking side streets through the biking black hole of Beverly Hills, I found myself riding a relatively car-free route that lead from 8th Street, up to the future bike boulevard on 4th, then back down to 7th, which will soon feature bike lanes itself for most of it’s length.

Instead of the usually harrowing, traffic-choked commute by car — or the Third World conditions of the 720 bus — I enjoyed a pleasant, relaxing ride that had me feeling better and arriving in a far better mood than when I left.

And even had time to stop for coffee before going into my meeting.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a perfectly pleasant L.A. evening as we rode back on an Olympic Blvd nearly abandoned by the city’s drivers, with only one puddle-hidden pothole to mar the experience.

I wasn’t really wasn’t surprised by how fast, efficient and enjoyable it was to make the trip by bike, particularly compared to my other options.

But it was nice to be reminded once again.

………

KCET’s report on the changes coming to 7th Street suggests that the success of that project could have a lot to do with how quickly the city rolls out the rest of the new bike plan.

And unfortunately, their probably right.

But as @sam_ebnet astutely points out, that’s a bit like saying we’ll put the front wheel on a car, and if it drives well, we’ll put the other three on. Or building a freeway, and if it proves popular enough, adding the off-ramps later.

L.A.’s bike plan will only succeed when it’s seen as a system, rather than a series of independently planned projects. Both 4th Street and 7th are vital links in that system, and each will do much to make riding safer and more enjoyable.

But it is only when the entire network is built out, and cyclists can ride routes that actually connect with one another, that we’ll enjoy a truly ridable city.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Last day to enter for a free 2011 L.A. River Ride

May 26, 2011 / / Comments Off on Last day to enter for a free 2011 L.A. River Ride

After a slow start, more entries for our free L.A. River Ride giveaway are coming in. So don’t get left out. Just write out in 50 words or less why you should be the one to join in on L.A.’s favorite fundraising bike ride, and send it to ridetheriver2011@hotmail.com by midnight tonight, Thursday, May 26th.

The River Ride staff and volunteers will review the entries and pick a winner over the weekend. And there’s no reason why that couldn’t be you.

Just click here for more information.

Even if you don’t win, you can still save $10 on the 11th Annual Los Angeles River Ride by signing up online using the special discount code TEDBC11 (case sensitive) — exclusively for BikingInLA readers.

Category: General / Tags: ,

Win a free 2011 L.A. River Ride — or save $10 now on River Ride registration!

May 18, 2011 / / Comments Off on Win a free 2011 L.A. River Ride — or save $10 now on River Ride registration!

Save $10 on the 11th Annual Los Angeles River Ride; just sign up online using the special discount code TEDBC11 (case sensitive). Or enter to win a free River Ride Registration by emailing ridetheriver2011@hotmail.com by 5/26, and explain why you deserve to ride this year’s River Ride in 50 words or less, courtesy of LACBC and BikingInLA. Click here for more information.

Category: General / Tags: ,

A random mediation on blessed bikes, Bike Week and the Ride of Silence

May 18, 2011 / / 3 comments

Some random thoughts as I catch up from the first few wet days of L.A. Bike Week.

………

Bishop Jon Bruno, who clearly dressed for the occasion, though I suspect he didn't ride in that.

Despite my firm belief that the human body is incapable of sustaining life prior to 7 am, I found myself rising just after 6 yesterday to for the one hour ride downtown for the Blessing of the Bicycles.

It only took a few minutes of walking the corgi, who was none too pleased to be awakened at that hour — let alone dragged out into the rain — to decide that driving would be a much better option.

So I strapped my bike onto the back of my 17-year old car, which finally chugged past the 105,000 mile mark on the way, and made the drive to Good Samaritan Hospital.

Despite the rain, I  saw a surprising number of cyclists there, with more arriving throughout the hour-long event. Most of whom had the bedraggled look of someone who had braved the elements to get there.

The Buddhist representative warned children to stop doing dangerous tricks on their bikes, or he'd tell the Kung Fu Panda.

I’ll let the CicLAvia blog tell the story, as they were clearly taking much better notes than I was, focused as I was on sucking down some hot coffee and scarfing from the wide array of pastries and fresh fruit.

If the spread they put out for cyclists is any indication of the quality of care patients receive at Good Sam, I may need to switch my medical allegiance from the Jews to the Episcopalians.

Being of a very ecumenical bent, I don’t think God really cares which team you choose, as long as you choose one.

Our newly bike-friendly and apparently fragile mayor arrived with his foot in a cast — not, as might be guessed, the result of another cycling accident, but from wandering through a strange hotel room after dark.

(Insert joke here.)

DWP Employee Chris Bolivar is honored for his heroics in stopping a bike theft by bike owner and Good Sam VP Dan McLaughlin.

For me, though, the highlight was seeing DWP employee Chris Bolivar honored for his heroics in rushing off a Metro bus to stop a thief from stealing a new Trek Madone belonging to Good Sam VP Dan McLaughlin. And then watching him ride off with his wife on a newly-purchased red and white Schwinn tandem.

After listening to an array of Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish prayers for our safety — nice work on the shofar, Rabbi — I took my place in a long line of cyclists to be blessed by Episcopal Bishop Jon Bruno, walking my bike since the other half of my cleats were still in my car along with the shoes they’re attached to.

Frankly, I’ll take all the help I can get to safely navigate these city streets.

Evidently, I’m not the only one, as Will Campbell’s blessed ass made the front page of the Times’ Late Extra section.

………

Councilmember Bill Rosendahl invites all to participate in Bike Week. KCRW’s Shortcuts blog reports on a soggy start to the week. Metro offers an interactive map to help you plan your route for Bike to Work Day. The afore mentioned Mr. Campbell looks forward to Thursday’s Bike from Work Happy Hour, which also takes place at Pourtal Wine Bar, among other bike-friendly taverns.

Ten deals and freebies for Bike Week. Bike-friendly UCLA observes Bike to Campus Week. More commuters are getting there by bike. Sensible gear for biking to work, and how to dress — or pack — for it.

Even, courtesy of Tucson Velo, if you’re a drag queen.

………

Long Beach wraps up Bike Week with the Grand Opening of a new Performance Bicycle shop on Friday, their 100th nationwide. To celebrate, the first 100 people in line will have chance to win one of seven new bikes valued at a total of over $7,000. The store is located at Long Beach Town Center, 7611 East Carson Blvd in Long Beach; distribution of keys for the contest will take place at 8 am, with the doors opening at 9.

………

Tonight marks the world-wide observance of the Ride of Silence, a slow paced memorial ride to honor cyclists killed or injured on the roads, raise awareness of cycling and ask that we all share the road safely.

And once again, it won’t be officially observed here in Los Angeles.

There will be ROS rides in other parts of Southern California, though, including Fullerton, Irvine, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, San Diego, Temecula, Thousand Oaks and Ventura, if you live in those areas or can make the trip.

It will also be observed at the L.A. Velodrome tonight, as cyclists will ride 40 silent laps in honor of fallen riders. And we do have a long and tragically growing list of local riders to honor, including James Laing, Jim Swarzman, Danny Marin and Alex Romero, just to name a few.

I tried, and failed, to get an L.A. ride started this year, mostly because I’ve never organized a ride and had no idea what the hell I was doing.

However, I’m committed to getting one off the ground next year, and will start earlier to organize it and get the cooperation of local authorities and advocacy groups.

If anyone wants to help, just let me know.

And thanks to Kieron at the Velodrome for stepping up to make sure local riders won’t be forgotten this year.

………

A fascinating look at the rich and powerful former New York DOT commissioner who may or may not be behind the backlash against the city’s successful and popular Prospect Park West bike lanes — despite being married to a leading, and presumably pro-cycling, Senator Chuck Schumer.

HuffPo’s Joel Epstein also offers his typically insightful thoughts on the subject.

………

After Sunday’s hard charge up Mt. Etna, Contador still holds the leader’s jersey in the Giro; Bike Snob says he looks pretty in pink. In the wake of Wouter Wayland’s death in Stage 3 of the Giro, organizers have added extra safety measures for a difficult descent on Saturday’s Stage 14.

Colorado bike prodigy Taylor Phinney rides his first AToC. Team Sky’s Greg Henderson takes the overall lead after winning Stage 3 of the AToC; Phinney is currently the top American at 8th. Bicycling profiles the top young Americans in the race.

………

LACBC gets a shiny new website, and unveils their latest video with Austin Nichols looking forward to the upcoming River Ride on June 5th. The Coalition also reminds cyclists that comments on the proposed L.A. County bike plan are due by June 3rd, and says it could be a lot better.

And don’t forget you can get a discount for River Ride through BikingInLA, and enter a contest to win a free River Ride.

………

LADOT Bike Blog recaps the recent BAC Planning Subcommittee meeting, including implementation of the Bike Plan, extending the crappy, door zone Westwood Blvd bike lanes south to the planned Expo Line station, and bike lane projects around the planned Universal Studios expansion.

The last of which will happen over my dead body unless they allow the L.A. River Bike Path to extend through their property.

The expansion, that is. Not the bike lanes.

………

Writing for Streetsblog, Mark Elliot of Better Bike Beverly Hills updates the status of the Westside’s black hole for cyclists; the LACBC’s Marissa Christiansen reports on the South Bay Bicycle Coalition and the area’s new Bike Master Plan. A UCLA student invites you to log your commute times by bike and car to prove bikes are faster for shorter trips. Richard Risemberg calls for a separated cycle track on Washington Blvd to close the gap in the beachfront Marvin Braude bike path through the Marina area. CicLAvia shares a photo from Sunday’s South L.A. ride; word is that July’s scheduled CicLAvia will be cancelled, but October’s will go forward with an expanded route into Boyle Heights. Eco-Village looks at the new bike lanes on Expo and MLK. Learn the art of track racing at the L.A. Velodrome. L.A. Creek Freak objects to “improvements” to the North Spring Street Bridge that would just allow more cars to go faster. Long Beachers are invited to participate in a bike safety study. Long Beach’s biking expats get an unplanned delay in starting their latest cross county adventure. A bike cam catches a car speeding through the Santa Cruz Mountains, only to come upon the same car upside down on the side of the road moments later.

DOT Secretary Ray LaHood calls on cyclists to join the 2 Mile Challenge to replace short cars trips with bikes and raise funds for three worthy organizations. The League of American Bicyclists lists events throughout May’s Bike Month, and partners with AAA to promote bike safety. Examining the myth that gas taxes pay for the roads motorists drive. Amazon discovers bike commuters. Momentum magazine jumps into the great helmet debate, while yet another study shows mandating helmet use is counterproductive; however, Brit James Cracknell credits his with saving his life. Sharrows make their way to small town Oregon. Bike Portland takes the local paper to task for biased reporting. A Tempe cyclist finds his bike on Craigslist the day after it’s stolen, A Denver cyclist is killed by a hit-and-run driver just weeks before participating in the 412-mile Ride the Rockies. Minneapolis cyclists could soon find bike supply vending machines along popular bike trails. Zeke puts his recent first aid training to use, determining that a tourniquet is probably not necessary for minor road rash.

Why even experienced cyclists sometimes ride on the sidewalk; Carlton Reid looks at the legalities of UK sidewalk riding, as well as confusion between cycle tracks and sidewalks. London cyclists win an important victory to keep bike lanes on a bridge with heavy bike commuter use. An around-the-world adventurer starts a campaign to give Scot children more space to ride to school. Even in rural Scotland, cyclists get honked at by drivers who could easily pass. British design and Chinese manufacturing — as if any western country makes much of anything these days — combine to build a cheap, colorful single-speed bike. For the second time in three years, someone has tried to sabotage the Etape Caledonia. Debuting at Cannes, a gritty, bike-centric modern fairy tale from Belgium; thanks to Rex Reese for the heads-up.

Finally, Pittsburgh police take different sides on citing a cyclist for Biking Under the Influence.

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

Win a free 2011 L.A. River Ride — or save $10 now on River Ride registration!

May 17, 2011 / / One comment

I’ve always been a firm believer in paying it forward when opportunity allows.

It all goes back to my father, who never left a stranger stranded on the side of the road. If he couldn’t fix their car on the spot, he’d give them a ride into town to call for help. Sometimes he’d even drive them to our home, grab his tools, and go back to fix it himself while they waited.

Whenever someone tried to reward him for his efforts, he’d just say they’d have a chance to help someone else someday.

And when that day comes, do it.

So when I unexpectedly found myself with an opportunity to participate in this year’s 11th Annual L.A. River Ride — one of Southern California’s largest and most popular fundraising rides — I tried to figure out what I could do to get you to ride along with me, and a few thousand of our closest friends.

I’d actually planned on working as a volunteer in the LACBC booth at the L.A. River Ride, until leading L.A. bike attorney Howard Krepack, one of the LACBC’s most consistent and generous sponsors, graciously offered to let me ride as his guest.

And no, in case you’re wondering, he did not make that offer in exchange for being mentioned here. This is just my way of thanking him for his very kind and generous gesture.

Almost immediately, it occurred to me that there might be a way I could share my good fortune with you.

So I emailed JJ Hoffman, the LACBC River Ride Coordinator, with two suggestions — first, to offer a special discount on River Ride registration for readers of this blog, or second, hold a contest to give away a free River Ride registration.

And JJ, who’s clearly of a generous bent herself, responded by saying why not do both?

So here’s the deal.

If you’ve been on the fence about participating in this year’s River Ride — or you just enjoy a great bargain — you can sign up online for the 11th Annual Los Angeles River Ride anytime between now and June 4th and save $10 off your registration.

All you have to do is visit the River Ride site on Active.com and sign up using the special discount code TEDBC11 (case sensitive).

That means a $65 registration for the Century or 70-mile rides will cost you just $55. The Half Century and 36-mile rides will run just $45 with the discount. And you can sign up for the 15-mile Family Ride, normally $50, for just $40.

You can thank me later.

On the other hand, maybe that’s still out your reach this year. Or maybe you’re just feeling lucky. Either way, one person is going to win a free River Ride registration courtesy of the LACBC.

All you have to do is email me at ridetheriver2011@hotmail.com, and explain in 50 words or less why you, or someone you know, deserves to ride this year’s River Ride for free.

Maybe you had a hard year, or done more than your share to help others. Maybe, like me, you’ve never done the River Ride and always wanted to. Or maybe you know someone who is deserving of a special gift this year.

Whatever your reason, send it to the address above, and I’ll remove any identifying information and forward your email to the LACBC’s staff and River Ride volunteers. They’ll make the choice; and yes, their choice is final. All entries are due no later than midnight on the night of Thursday, May 26th; the winner will be notified by Tuesday, May 31st.

Unfortunately, we won’t be able to contact everyone who didn’t win. So if you haven’t heard anything by the 1st, it just means it wasn’t you this time.

Nothing personal.

Fortunately, that still gives you a few days to sign up using the discount code.

And join me and the LACBC — and a couple thousand other cyclists — in Riding the River this year.

………

Volunteers are still needed for the River Ride on JUne 5th, and to help get ready in the days leading up to the ride. Contact RRVolunteer@la-bike.org.

And yes, I’m sure they’ll understand if you need to back out because you won the free registration.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

News from the pro world, Signh pleads not guilty, People for Bikes unveils Downtown bike video

May 15, 2011 / / Comments Off on News from the pro world, Signh pleads not guilty, People for Bikes unveils Downtown bike video

Oscar Gatto wins Stage 8 of the Giro d’Italia, as Contador makes a leap to 5th overall. And Bike Snob notes that there is another, much shorter and less intense race starting in Tahoe on Sunday.

Jens Voigt considers the risks of racing on the eve of the Amgen Tour of California, following the death of his friend Wouter Waylandt; Waylandt will be honored by the ToC peloton. The opening stage of the Tour of California may have to change course due to snow.

Meanwhile, Colorado’s upcoming pro tour adopts a good cause, and yet another really crappy name. The investigators going after Lance Armstrong look to the French for help, while UCI ranks every rider in the 2010 Tour de France on their odds of doping. Notably, UCI doesn’t deny it, but points out that suspicion is not the same as guilt.

Well, duh.

………

Satnam Singh pleads not guilty in the drunken hit-and-run death of Nick Haverland, and injuring 5 other people in Ventura Tuesday evening; he faces up to 18 years if convicted on all counts.

………

Metro staff recommends the full 7.7 mile Wilshire Blvd Bus (and bike) Only Lane, despite the objections of County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and L.A. Councilmember Bill Rosendahl; if approved, the project would include repaving of at least the right lane of what is now one of the city’s worst streets for bikes.

………

People for Bikes unveils the Bikes Make Life Better video filmed recently in Downtown L.A. Yes, it was worth the wait. They also say for every mile you ride instead of drive, you save at least a buck. And Tim Blumenthal of Bikes Belong talks to cdmCyclist.

………

Austin Nichols — yes, that Austin Nichols — debates where to park for next month’s River Ride. Gary raises red flags about the planned Expo Bikeway, which may not be much of what everything we expected. Preserving a little precious parking could mean a bike lane bypass on Foothill Blvd in the Valley. Steve Montalto says cyclists aren’t the only scofflaws on the road; sometimes you get hit whether you’re biking or walking. Bikeside surveys the candidates for the 36th Congressional District race. Battle lines are drawn at BPIT, while work moves forward. Downtown News looks at Tuesday’s upcoming Blessing of the Bicycles. KCRW’s Steve Herbert offers practical advice on the how-tos of commuting to work; Plan Bike’s Jody Brooks offers 10 good reasons to ride. L.A. Bike Week encourages Angelenos to rethink commuting by car. L.A. considers requiring more bike parking. LAPD experiments with electric bikes. L.A. Firefighters document the aftermath of a bike collision in Tujunga, implying the rider was at fault. Pasadena cyclists discuss the new bike plan. Thousand Oaks will soon get 2.5 miles of new bike lanes. Long Beach’s cycling expats prepare to set sail once again. San Diego gets sharrowed. Bike culture rises on the streets of San Francisco. Sacramento is rapidly becoming a cycle-tropolis. Now that’s what I call an urban bike shirt.

Nice thought: you don’t have to make a big change in your life to make a difference in the world. The bike boom bypasses women, and goes in reverse for children. Albuquerque may be bike-friendly, even if not all it’s streets are. Charleston MA installs bike lanes, removes said lanes, and paints them back again; not unlike Westwood’s Westholme Ave, where the sharrows were recently covered over by slurry coating — for the second time. New York launches their long-planned “Don’t Be A Jerk” campaign, directed at cyclists rather than the city’s notoriously jerkish drivers. A proposed new bill would make Complete Streets the law of the land throughout the U.S; another would pay you $40 a month to commute by bike, which you could use to get your boss to pay for your next tune-up. A DC survey shows Bike to Work Day can lead to lasting changes. Learning the hard way what happens after you get hit by a car. Maryland passes legislation toughening penalties for drivers who hit cyclists or pedestrians; bike attorney Bob Mionske applauds them for finding the middle ground. Georgia is the latest state to adopt a 3-foot law; California could be next. U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood cares about the safety of urban cyclists, but isn’t sure if that makes him a hipster; link courtesy of BikeBlogNY.

The U.S. has a lot to teach other nations about providing political support at the highest levels for sustainable transportation. The afore mentioned Bob Mionske asks if dooring is really an accident, saying Montreal police clearly don’t get it. New York Mayor Bloomberg backs the United Nation’s Decade of Action for Road Safety. Great Britain gears up for next month’s Naked Bike Ride. A Brit twit tweets about hitting two cyclists and fleeing the scene; turns out it was a cyclist with a very warped sense of humor. A British survey suggests whatever happens, it was probably your fault. Local bike paths mean higher home prices Down Under. Cyclists and pedestrians get to sample Glasgow’s newest highway, in sort of a one-time Scot ciclovia. Bob Marley was mellow, but did he ride a bike?

Finally, bikes must be dangerous, unlike all those big, fast metal things on the street. And a medical school professor — who really should know better — says bikes really are dangerous, but opposes bike lanes that might make it safer to ride them; thanks to Cyclelicious for the heads-up.

Category: General / Tags: , ,
« Older Entries   Recent Entries »
Wordpress Theme by ThemeZee