Archive for General

Volunteers needed for River Ride, fear the brakeless fixies in SF and a long, long list of events

February 19, 2011 / / One comment

The LACBC puts out a call for volunteers for the upcoming River Ride, perhaps the area’s largest and most popular fundraising ride.

Your help is needed for a wide variety of activities to prepare for the ride, as well as on the day of the ride on Sunday, June 5th. Just five hours of volunteer work will earn you a free ride, or you can give your free ride to someone else if you work the day of the ride.

Take it from me, I worked in the LACBC booth at last year’s River Ride, and had the time of my life, despite the hard work. Or maybe because of it.

Email RRvolunteer@la-bike.org for more info and to sign up.

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L.A. gets it’s first bike corral in front of Highland Park coffee shop Café de Leche, which could be the model for similar installations throughout the city.

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Despite noting that fixed-gear cyclists can use their pedals to brake, a San Francisco paper claims that fixies without additional handlebar mounted brakes are “illegal and dangerous” after a rider hits and critically injures a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Police confiscated the bike, claiming that the lack of brakes is a traffic infraction, even though most fixies can easily meet the state standard of leaving a skid mark on clean, dry pavement.

But let’s be honest.

If a cyclist doesn’t stop or slow down before hitting a pedestrian, the problem isn’t the bike. It’s the incompetence of the rider.

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Bike trail funding miraculously survives the GOP budget cutting frenzy in DC, while bike lawyer Bob Mionske notes that in the new GOP controlled House, riding a bike is considered recreation, not transportation.

So if you rode home from work or school in the rain today, evidently you did it just for fun.

Maybe it’s time for all commuter cyclists to write their Congressional representatives and point out that not everyone gets there on four wheels.

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Alexi Grewal, gold medal winner at the ’84 L.A. Olympics, is planning a comeback at age 50. Then again, Mexico’s Raul Alcala is still going at 47.

I had the privilege of seeing both compete in the old Coors Classic; while watching Grewal was a thrill, Alcala was one of the most consistently exciting racers I’ve ever seen.

Evidently, eating meat contaminated with Clenbuterol can result in positive drug tests, which could open the door for appeals from other banned cyclists; Spanish police bust a Clenbuterol drug ring that wasn’t doping cows. Suspended pro Tom Zirbel says Contador’s clearing shows the inconsistency of doping regulations. And disgraced rider Riccardo Ricco left the hospital 12 days after a self-administered blood transfusion gone wrong.

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A long, long list of upcoming events —

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

Ride with Rapha and Bike Effect on Saturday the 19th; meet for coffee at 8:30 am and ride a 9 am. Meet at Bike Effect, 910 Broadway #100 in Santa Monica, RSVP to rsvp@rapha.cc.

CD4 City council candidate Stephen Box is partnering with Flying Pigeon LA to provide free bike repair at the Silver Lake Farmers Market, from 8 am to 1 pm on Saturday the 19th at 3700 Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

The LAVRA Cup Time Trial takes place at the Home Depot Center Velodrome this Saturday, February 19th at 3 pm, 18400 Avalon Blvd in Carson; thanks to the Claremont Cyclist for the heads-up.

Escort two lovebirds in safety and style on the Lovebirds to LAX Party Ride on Sunday the 20th. Riders meet at Helen’s Cycles in Westwood, 1071 Gayley Avenue in Westwood Village at 11:30 am, and depart at 12:30 pm.

Flying Pigeon’s Get Sum Dim Sum ride takes place on the third Sunday of each month; the next ride will be this Sunday, February 20 from 10 am to 1 pm, starting at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

Bike Metro’s Bicycle Roundtable Implementation & Operations Subcommittee Meeting originally scheduled for Thursday, February 24th has been cancelled; new date to be determined.

UCLA will host a free day-long Complete Streets workshop on Friday, February 25th; participation is open to registered attendees. The workshop will take place from 8:30 am to 7 pm at the Japanese American National Museum at 369 East 1st Street Downtown. Contact d.grantham@ucla.edu to register, or call 310/562-7356.

GOOD is hosting a fundraising party for CicLAvia from 2 to 7 pm on March 5th, at Atwater Crossing, 3229 Casitas Ave in Los Angeles; tickets range from $20 to $500.

The third LACBC Sunday Funday ride will roll 62 miles through the North San Gabriel Valley on Sunday, March 6th. Lead by board member Alex Amerri, the fast-paced ride for advanced cyclists will explore the area’s architectural and historical highlights; riders assemble at 8:30 am at Parking Lot K at the Rose Bowl, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive in Pasadena, with the ride starting at 9 am.

Flying Pigeon and the Bike Oven host the free Spoke(n) Art Ride on the 2nd Saturday of every month; the next ride will take place on March 12th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

The Santa Clarita Century is scheduled to roll on Saturday, April 2nd with rides ranging from a family ride to a full century.

The next three CicLAvias will take place on April 10th, July 10th and October 9th; if you missed the first one, don’t make the same mistake again.

L.A.’s 17th annual Bike Week takes place May 16th through the 20th, with an emphasis on bike safety education, and events throughout the city. This year’s Blessing of the Bicycles will take place as part of Bike Week on 8 to 9:30 am on May 17th at Downtown’s Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Street.

L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride rolls on June with the 11th Annual River Ride; advance registration is open now.

And mark your calendar for the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat on October 9th; unfortunately, that’s also Yom Kippur this year.

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LACBC responds to last week’s L.A. Weekly cover story on Stephen Box and the rise of bike activism in L.A. When cargo bikes are outlawed, only outlaws will ride cargo bikes in L.A. Santa Monica’s new Bike Action Plan will encourage more biking and less driving. LACBC is working with L.A. Planning and UCLA Urban Planning Masters Student Rye Baerg to develop a new bicycle parking draft ordinance. Jessica Meaney calls for more inclusive transportation planning. Chris at (just) Riding Along discovers what could be another Westwood Banksy, or maybe it’s another L.A.-based urban artist paying homage. Neon Tommy looks at the DIY attitude of the Bicycle Kitchen. Just what the Valley needs, an architecturally engaging Costco with a meandering bike path. Collisions with cyclists and pedestrians are on the rise in bike-friendly Santa Monica. The Claremont Cyclist visits the soon-to-be Citrus Regional Bikeway.

CdM Cyclist interviews Seattle’s Peter Lagerwey on how to build a successful bike master plan. A father plans to ride coast to coast to honor his 19-year old son, killed by a distracted driver while riding two years ago. After nearly being run off the road, Cyclelicious says it’s time to abandon Share the Road because so many drivers — and even some cyclists — don’t get it or don’t care. The SF Chronicle explains the meaning of sharrows to confused Bay Areans.

Frame builder Dave Moulton gets buzzed, and astutely describes it as just another a hate crime. People for Bikes says don’t be afraid to ride a bike, be afraid not to. Traffic meister Tom Vanderbilt writes about the age-old and mostly one-sided conflict between cyclists and motorists. Inspiring story of paraplegic former mountain biker Tara Llanes and her fight to come back. How much does a long, continuous history matter for a bike manufacturer? Cold, ice and snow means it’s a perfect day for a bike ride. Bloomberg notes that separated bike lanes encourage riding while reducing injuries. A look at a few of the projects industry trade group Bikes Belong with be funding this winter. Next time you ride in Portland, you may not need headphones. Tucson developers say eff you and the bike you rode in on. Oregon votes to make traditional-style bike traffic signals part of the state code. What better place for breakfast than a New York bike lane? The League of American Bicyclists says it’s time to stop killing cyclists in Tampa.

How to master fast cornering. A controversial Vancouver separated bike lane draws 600 riders a day with no significant delay in car traffic. A Manchester cyclist is fined for causing the death of a bus passenger who fell when the driver braked to avoid the rider. Talk about utility cycling — a Cambridgeshire cyclist makes waves by riding with a refrigerator on his back.

Finally, a nice piece from the Glendale News-Press advises keeping your focus three-feet ahead when you struggle in riding. And in life.

Good advice.

Along the same lines, I’ve always liked the old Native American proverb that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Then one day I realized that it continues the same way.

And the same goes for pedal strokes.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Tour de Fat sets a date, Malibu Sheriffs don’t get it, and 6 month suspension for killing Roger Grooters

February 17, 2011 / / 4 comments

“Oh I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.” — Elvis Costello, (The Angels Want to Wear My) Red Shoes

One quick breaking news note:

Tour de Fat has officially set a date for this year’s return engagement, coming back to Los Angeles on October 8th. Better yet, that’s one day before the city’s 4th scheduled CicLAvia, making for a full weekend celebration of cycling in L.A.

The bad news is, October 8th is also Yom Kippur.

You’d think someone would check the calendar before scheduling a date in a city with such a large Jewish community, many of whom are active cyclists. And might appreciate having a day full of beer and bikes to atone for.

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File this one under the heading of They Just Don’t Get It.

Malibu City Council approved a three-hour Bicycle Safety public workshop, to be held on a Saturday morning at a date to be determined. Great news so far, as cyclists have been pushing for an open discussion of the problems we face riding in and through the ‘Bu, while city officials — particularly members of the city’s Public Safety Commission — have been surprisingly open to dialogue with the biking community.

And then there’s the Sheriff’s Department.

“It should be noted that the Sheriff’s department expressed concern about whether a workshop would be a benefit to the city’s goals of improved safety. During previous discussions with members of cycling organizations and bike clubs, the Sheriff’s liaison stated that the cyclists continued to disagree with the Sheriff’s interpretation of the law. There was additional concern expressed that the goal to open communication between motorists and cyclists would not likely be achieved through the workshop as it is doubtful that many non-cycling members of the public would consider attending,” the staff memo adds.

So, discussion is only worthwhile when we think they’re right?

Maybe we continue to disagree because the Sheriff’s Department in Malibu continues to interpret state law incorrectly. Despite the best efforts of cyclists to point out that we do in fact have a legal right to ride in the traffic lane, and that nothing in state law prohibits riding side-by-side in order to safely control the lane when necessary, even — or especially — on busy highways like PCH.

And somehow, given the passionate hatred expressed towards cyclists by some Malibu residents, I doubt getting the non-riding public to attend will be a problem.

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Oh. My. God.

The driver who ran down cross-country cyclist and former USC Athletic Department employee Roger Grooters has had his license suspended for just six months and fined a paltry $1,160 by a Florida judge.

Six lousy months of being prohibited from driving — and no jail time — after carelessly killing another human being. Before being allowed back on the roads to do it again to someone else.

That isn’t even a slap on the wrist. They might as well have given him a cigar and a pat on the back for reducing the state’s surplus cyclist population.

Clearly, life is cheap in Florida.

There are no words. At least, none that I’d want to use here.

But I can tell you where I won’t be spending my next vacation.

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In our continuing coverage of former Tour de France winners accused of doping, Lance officially retired once again on Wednesday. Contador’s decision to ride this year’s Giro may be a polite way to avoid being banned from Le Tour, while Spanish meat producers say he’s full of mierda. A physician says he was fired from a Spanish bike team when he refused to dope the riders. And UCI threatens to sue Floyd Landis over his allegations of a cover-up; Dave Moulton says Landis has a right to be ticked off.

If you’re as disgusted as I am with all the endless doping and cheating charges, denials and countercharges, try following the Twitter feed of rising star Taylor Phinney, whose cheerful optimism could restore your faith in pro cycling.

Or even in humanity.

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The Seattle Times offers an in-depth and very insightful look at the seemingly inevitable conflicts between drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, and the anger that springs from it. If you don’t read any of the other links on here today, read this one.

Meanwhile, Seattle Bike Blog asks how you handle anger while you’re riding. And the Wall Street Journal says if road rage wasn’t bad enough, now we have to deal with sidewalk rage.

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Santa Monica’s Planning and Community Development Department invites you to participate in a special workshop to help transform the Bergamot area into an urban transit village, including pedestrian and bike linkages to the Expo Line, Bergamot Arts Center and other destinations. The meeting takes place from 6:30 – 9 pm tonight at Pier 59 Studios, 2415 Michigan Ave in Bergamot Station.

Bike Long Beach is hosting a bike ride for the city’s next Bicycle Master Plan workshop this Saturday, Feb. 19th. The ride departs from the Silverado Park Community Center, 1545 W. 31st Street at 10 am; the workshop begins at 11:30 am. And take a look at what they’ve accomplished already.

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A new petition urges Maryland to stop senseless bicycle deaths; then again, do any bicycle deaths make sense? Maybe it’s time to take something like this nationwide. Thanks to Kim for the heads-up.

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Big bike happenings Downtown this week as DTLA Bikes opened on Wednesday, and the city’s first bike corral officially opens Friday. If you liked October’s first CicLAvia, you’ll love April’s on the same route. Glendale’s Safe and Healthy Streets Plan moves forward to make the city safer for cyclists and pedestrians; meanwhile, Glendale and Burbank cooperate to request Metro funds for transportation improvements, including a bike boulevard on Kenneth Road. At least some San Diego business people get that bikes are good for business, encouraging people to Bike the Boulevard this Saturday. The 2011 NorCal High School mountain bike racing season kicks off Feb. 27th; why didn’t they have that when I was in school?

Sunset Magazine lists bike sharing, bike planning and car-free festivals — including CicLAvia — among their top 100 cultural trends in the West. Actor Matthew Modine and filmmaker David Holbrooke will host a nationwide mountain bike event on October 8th — yes, once again on Yom Kippur — to call attention to women’s rights in Afghanistan; then again, you haven’t mountain biked until you’ve bombed straight down a volcano. Bikes in the national parks are not just for tourists. The 17-year old Utah driver who killed a cyclist because her vision was obscured by birthday balloons will face misdemeanor charges. Bike Portland offers an alternate explanation for a recent cycling death. Favorable results are in for Portland’s cycle track and buffered bike lanes. The rich and powerful try to take down New York’s Prospect Park West bike lanes, including former NYDOT Commissioner Iris Weinshall and her husband, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. Current ABC and former CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour rolls on two wheels. In an all-too-familiar story, a Florida family is devastated when the father is killed in a cycling collision. In case you ever wanted to see what it’s like to vicariously run down a jay walking cyclist, here’s your chance.

In a typically illogical, knee-jerk motorhead response, a UK Member of Parliament suggests banning bikes from a highway to keep cyclists from getting killed, rather than doing something to keep drivers from killing them. A new car hood design promises to protect cyclists and pedestrians in collisions; instead of building safer cars, why not make safer drivers? Creative things to do with old bike parts. An Irish man accidently runs down and kills his own biking father. A triple confrontation with a road raging driver convinces a Sydney rider that angry drivers can make a cyclist’s life hell. Kiwi cyclists call for repealing New Zealand’s mandatory helmet law.

Finally, KCET’s Departures offers an exceptional in-depth look at the abused, and slowly recovering, L.A. River from the Headwaters to the Sepulveda Basin. Kudos to KCET; this one of the best examples I’ve seen of using online media to tell a story. Meanwhile, Flying Pigeon blogger Rick Risemberg looks at the graffiti and grace of the Downtown section of the river and its bike path.

Congratulations to new LACBC board members Lourdes Lopez, Steve Boyd and Carrie Ungerman.

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

Post-Valentines lovers ride, triple teenage homicide in Rancho Cordova, Contador cleared for now

February 15, 2011 / / 7 comments

Click to enlarge

I’d planned to write about this yesterday before Streetsblog beat me to it (Darn you, Damien!).

But this still sounds like the perfect post Valentines ride. I’ll let Omari of the UCLA Bicycle Coalition take it from here:

Ok, so the week after Valentine’s day, this guy who’s a student at UCLA wants to ride his bike to drop his sweetheart off at the airport. He doesn’t wanna sit in 405 traffic, or take 3 trains and a shuttle to get there. Problem is, transportation planners, in all their wisdom didn’t foresee of anyone ever wanting to do that. As a result it’s kind of treacherous to ride a bike to LAX because the approaches are basically set up like freeways. Given that car-centricity, it’s no surprise that 85% of all ground trips to LAX are made by cars, with all the pollution and congestion that comes with that (and the majority of those trips are people getting dropped off and picked up, creating 4 trips total and 4 times the pollution)!

But what can be done? How can we help the lovebirds arrive safely at their destination without degrading the planet? The good news is, you can have fun and strength and safety in numbers with them on the Lovebirds to LAX Bike Party! So grab your bike on Sunday, February 20th and escort the happy couple on an EPIC ride from Helen’s Cycles in Westwood to LAX. Meeting at 11:30am, leaving at 12:30pm. Free bike safety checks will be provided beforehand. The trip will be about 10 miles one way, with an option to return on the Metro Rail Green/Blue lines. No cyclist will be left behind. We’ll stop at red lights and be courteous to others. This is a peaceful ride, channeling Ghandi and MLK: we’ll handle any obnoxious drivers with a smile and wave. Join us and be one of the few and the proud who can tell your friends (or wear a T-shirt that says), “I Rode My Bike to LAX!” We should have music, and signs saying “WHERE’S THE BIKE LANE?!” Tell a friend and spread the word that we’re partying against car-centricity… riding toward a future where, just as every street has a sidewalk, every street (including those to LAX) will have a bike lane.

Until then, safe travels!

He also wants some music on the ride, so he’s looking for bike-able speaks. Anyone have any suggestions or something he can borrow?

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Three Rancho Cordova teenagers were tragically killed in a drive-by shooting while riding their bikes on Monday; thanks to Allan Alessio for the heads-up. Oddly, the print version doesn’t mention the bike connection, while the video story leads off with it.

Of course, the real tragedy isn’t that it happened while they were riding their bikes; it’s that shootings like this occur  across the country virtually every day and no one really pays attention. Just like traffic deaths, over 30,000 Americans are killed with guns every year. And in typically American fashion, the solution employed by our leaders is to make guns more readily available, just as we deal with the endless plague of traffic fatalities by building more cars and increasing speed limits.

Our nation has fought two wars in the last 10 years because 3,000 were killed by terrorists, yet well over 200 times that many people were killed by guns and motor vehicles combined in that same time period.

When will we stop ignoring the elephant in the room and demand that it end now?

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In a surprising twist, defending TdF champ Alberto Contador is cleared of doping charges after the Spanish cycling federation reverses its earlier decision, concluding that it could not be proven that Contador deliberately took the clenbuterol that was found in his system. Needless to say, he’s very happy about it.

If that’s the new standard, they might as well throw out all drug testing, since proof of intent is difficult if not impossible to establish in most cases. Many other riders have been banned on far less evidence.

Maybe Floyd Landis should recant, move to Spain and file an appeal.

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Bicycling releases its annual list of America’s best bike cities; San Francisco checks in at number 6, while Long Beach is #23. No other California city made the list.

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The Daily News endorses bike activist Stephen Box over incumbent Tom LaBonge in CD4. The new Bike Plan Implementation Team is open to whoever shows up — which means you could be the one who guarantees the new bike plan will actually get built. Eleven years after being paralyzed in a motocross race, a recovering Jimmy Button prepares to bicycle 2,428 miles from San Diego to Daytona Beach to benefit Miles for Miracles. Bike sharing programs live and die according to the planning details. Flying Pigeon now carries Torker Cargo-T bikes. Mobile billboard operators try bikes to get around the recent ban. An OC woman is thankfully uninjured in a five-man bike jacking. Cyclelicious eavesdrops on CHP dispatches to uncover a possibly deliberate collision in the San Gabriel Valley. SF police blame cyclists for speeding even though they were travelling well below the speed limit; after all, it’s far easier to blame cyclists for riding too fast than ticket the drivers who throw open their doors or pull out in front of them. A Fresno hit-and-run turns out to be a cyclist who hit a parked car.

Register for an upcoming Webinar on the Safe Routes to School program on March 3rd. The term bike porn is taken to its literal and logical conclusion. Biking Bis offers a list of resources for special needs cyclists. Surprisingly enough, 60% of bike injury collisions occur at intersections, while two-thirds of fatalities occur on the open road — perhaps because of the difference in speed. An Oregon cyclist is killed after stopping in a traffic lane; despite his working red light, the driver claims it was a SMIDSY* — and yes, the report notes that the rider wasn’t wearing a helmet. More biased reporting in New York’s endless Prospect Park West bike lane dispute; cooler heads say build more bike lanes, not less, while less cool heads prepare to sue. Cambridge MA doesn’t maintain bike facilities in the winter because no one rides, but maybe no one rides because they don’t maintain it. A Virginia cyclist wasn’t hit by that truck, just skimmed. Zeke rides up in the spring, and back down in the winter in the space of just 20 miles. A Georgia man blames the victim, posting a No Cyclists sign after a friend’s son plowed into five cyclists, killing one. The nation’s deadliest state in which to walk or bike lives up to its image, this time taking the life of the Dalai Lama’s nephew, who was walking to call attention to Tibet’s struggle for independence.

Copenhagenize casts a critical eye on the sect of Vehicular Cycling. After an Ontario rider is clipped by a car, the driver intentionally hits him at the next stop light and tells him to move over. A proposal for a 1 meter passing distance brings out the online road ragers. A step-by-step guide for beginning riders. London’s Telegraph offers a rave review of our humble beachfront bike path. Since 2006, more cars than bikes have crossed London Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge at morning rush hour. Just three years after spending £800,000 pounds to install semi-segregated bike lanes, Brighton, England proposes spending £1.1 million to remove them. Everyone bikes in the Netherlands, in fact 55% of all bike trips are made by women; turns out it’s also faster. And it’s a myth that other country’s can’t replicate the Dutch success. A New Zealand driver gets 100 hours of community service and NZ$10,000 for each of the three cyclists she killed. Bike Radar busts common myths about tires.

Finally, a Seattle-area cyclist faces charges of malicious mischief after allegedly spitting on, and throwing his bike at, a car whose driver honked at him. And UK authorities show their compassion — or the lack thereof — by billing a cyclist who had the inexcusable rudeness to get hit by a car and survive.

But at least they waited until he woke up from his coma.

* Sorry Mate, I Didn’t See You

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Upcoming events — including two you’ll need to hurry for — and some hot weekend links

February 12, 2011 / / 3 comments

Welcome to an ever-growing list of upcoming events, and a lengthy reading list for the weekend. And yes, this will be on the test.

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

Unless you read this overnight, it may be too late to make the Tour de Palm Springs, offering five rides of varying lengths from 7 to 9:30 am.

If you hurry, you could still make Chinatown’s Firecracker Bike Ride with 20 and 30 mile routes starting at 9 am; registration starts at 7:30.

Attend a free bike mechanics workshop presented by Bici Digna on Saturday, February 12th at 1 pm at Corazon del Pueblo, 2003 1st Street in Boyle Heights.

Meet CD4 City Council candidate and leading bike advocate Stephen Box from 2 – 4 pm Sunday, February 13 at William Kestling’s Johnstone House at 3311 Lowry Road, Los Angeles.

Flying Pigeon and the Bike Oven host the free Spoke(n) Art Ride on the 2nd Saturday of every month; the next ride will take place on February 12th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles invites you to explore the latest offerings from leading European manufacturers on February 17th, 2300 Santa Monica Blvd in Santa Monica.

Celebrate the official opening of L.A.’s first official bike corral on Friday, February 18th in front of Café de Leche, 5000 York Blvd in Highland Park. LACBC, Flying Pigeon and C.I.C.L.E. will all lead a rides to the opening.

UCLA will host a free day-long Complete Streets workshop on Friday, February 25th; participation is open to registered attendees. The workshop will take place from 8:30 am to 7 pm at the Japanese American National Museum at 369 East 1st Street Downtown. Contact d.grantham@ucla.edu to register, or call 310/562-7356.

GOOD is hosting a fundraising party for CicLAvia from 2 to 7 pm on March 5th, at Atwater Crossing, 3229 Casitas Ave in Los Angeles; tickets range from $20 to $500.

Mark your calendar for the next three CicLAvias on April 10th, July 10th and October 9th; if you missed the first one, don’t make the same mistake again.

The Santa Clarita Century is scheduled to roll on Saturday, April 2nd with rides ranging from a family ride to a full century.

This year’s Blessing of the Bicycles will take place on 8 to 9:30 am on May 17th at Downtown’s Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Street.

L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride rolls on June with the 11th Annual River Ride; advance registration is open now.

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Alex Thompson says the Mar Vista neighborhood on L.A.’s Westside could soon be a bicycling paradise. LADOT Bike Blog reports on Wednesday’s Council committee hearing on the draft bike plan, while Damien Newton says it was a rocky road getting there; LACBC invites cyclists to help make sure the plan is implemented. The City Maven reports on Thursday’s debate with the candidates for L.A.’s 4th council district, including bike activist Stephen Box and incumbent Tom LaBonge, while Streetsblog looks at the candidates for CD8. The Downtown News says it’s time to move to a life with fewer wheels.

A look at the 7th, and possibly decisive, stage of the Amgen Tour of California from Claremont to Mt. Baldy as well as the final stage in Santa Clarita. Alcohol is the common element in most Santa Clarita bike collisions. CdM Cyclist offers a podcast interview with bike lawyer Bob Mionske. An 18-year old Carlsbad cyclist is seriously injured after running a red light; two drivers narrowly missed him, the third didn’t. San Mateo County will redesign a highway interchange where a cyclist was killed last year; the case has been reopened, but why do these things only get fixed after someone dies? Stats show biking by the Bay could be hazardous to your health.

Ernest Hemingway said you learn the contours of a country best by bike; thanks to the L.A. Times Martin Beck for the link. Oregon considers banning loose dogs in cars that could distract drivers; personally, I find loose women far more distracting. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz mocks bike lanes while cyclists continue to be injured on New York streets, and New York media treat cyclists like bedbugs in need of extermination. Charges have been filed in last year’s fatal 9/11 dooring of a New York cyclist. A Harvard study shows cycle tracks raise the rate of riding while reducing the rate of injuries. Lloyd Lemons offers his thoughts on the freedom, simplicity and solitude of cycling.

We may not be entirely sane, but crazy cyclists are not the majority. Advice on how to avoid five common beginner’s mistakes. Prosecution of a truck driver who killed a cyclist is dropped after police fail to get vital security footage. The UK’s Bike to Work program is getting more people to ride while creating better motivated employees. The road course route for the 2012 Olympics is confirmed; word is it will be technical and tactical, while plans are made for a one-time pre-Olympic race along the course. In a typical day in the Netherlands, 5 million cyclists make 14 million journeys; even more impressive for a country of just 16 million people. Cycling in Sydney is now twice as fast as driving at the morning rush hour. A look at decidedly non-recreational riding in Hanoi.

Finally, framebuilder Dave Moulton entertainingly throws a spanner in the works by looking at the conflicting terminology used in the bike world; part of that can be blamed on the age old problem of two nations divided by a common language.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

A hero rides the bus — DWP employee Chris Bolivar stops a thief and saves a $2500 bike

February 10, 2011 / / 20 comments

Dan McLaughlin at the Tour de Palm Springs with his boss Andy Leeka; Dan is on the left

When Dan McLaughlin rode his bike into work on Wednesday, he never thought it would be stolen before he could get back home.

And he never thought a total stranger would run to his rescue, retrieving the bike almost before he knew it was gone.

According to Dan, he tries to ride his bike into work at least once a week. But the two-hour, 25-mile ride each way to his job at Good Samaritan Hospital is too much to sandwich around a full day at the office, so he usually takes the Commuter Express bus back to his home in Palos Verdes.

Wednesday night, he placed his $2500 Trek Madone in the rack at the front of the bus, and settled in to check his email in the back of the bus.

He barely noticed when the bus pulled over at a Downtown bus stop — it was somewhere on Flower, might have been at Washington Blvd, maybe Pico or Venice. What got his attention was the angry honking of the driver; soon everyone was standing, and someone yelled out “Your bike!”

He looked up to see his handlebars moving out of view through the windshield; by the time he got to the front of the bus, the bike was gone. He could see a young man struggling to hop on and ride it off, possibly because of the clip-in pedals.

As he stepped off the bus, though, he saw someone holding his bike. In the excitement, he ran towards him, only to realize that the man was walking back with it.

The other passengers were more than happy to fill him in.

When the bus stopped, the young man got off and immediately started to remove Dan’s bike from the rack. The driver, Pat Kesvy, started honking to stop him, but the thief kept going.

Thanks to DWP employee Chris Bolivar, this bike made it back home Wednesday

That’s when Chris Bolivar flew off the bus in pursuit of the thief. Bolivar, on his way home from his job with the Customer Service Department at DWP, quickly caught up to the struggling thief, scaring him into tossing the bike aside as he ran off down the street.

Bolivar picked it up and walked back, still shaking from the adrenalin rush.

Dan thanked his rescuer, and placed the bike back onto the rack. As they entered the bus, the passengers broke out in a spontaneous round of applause, applauding again when Bolivar got off at his stop.

And despite all odds, Dan McLaughlin made it home with his bike; as he puts it, it would have broken a roadie’s heart to lose a bike like that.

Meanwhile, one of the other passengers sent out an email telling the story, describing Bolivar as a gentleman who typically gives up his seat when the bus is crowded.

I’m told that email made it’s way to Chris Bolivar’s boss at DWP. And when he arrived at work Thursday morning, his co-workers stood up and applauded, as well.

McLaughlin is planning to take him to lunch next week to show his gratitude.

Maybe we should all thank him, in whatever way we can. After all, it could have been your bike. Or mine. And a total stranger cared enough to keep it safe.

It’s not every day you find a real hero riding the bus.

Update: A couple people have contacted me to point out that Chris Bolivar will honored at this year’s Blessing of the Bicycles at Good Samaritan Hospital on Tuesday, May 17th.

And am I the only one who sees a wonderful symmetry in a good Samaritan being honored by Good Samaritan?

Category: Best of, General / Tags: , , , , ,

A successful LACBC bike ride, VA bike access, and NY may be safer than you think — except for bikes

February 7, 2011 / / One comment

We had a great, if very long, bike ride through the Westside yesterday. I’d planned to write about that this morning, but those of us in L.A. have been blessed with perfect riding weather and I have no intention of wasting it, so bear with me and I’ll get back to that later.

Meanwhile, Michael of the Claremont Cyclist offers some great photos and thoughts on the ride, including a shiny new LACBC membership, while Bicycle Fixation’s Richard Risemberg says the ride offered a reason to get involved.

That reminds me. If you’re looking to save money, the LACBC offers a discount on memberships at the Sunday Funday rides the first Sunday of every month. And that gets you a discount at a number of the area’s local bike shops; I used mine to get 15% off a pair of bike shorts at Cynergy on Saturday.

Or you can become a member by volunteering with the Coalition; contact the LACBC for more information.

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Neighbors are heartsick over the death of San Diego cyclist Ben Acree on Saturday, while the press is — finally — starting to report the story more objectively. Of course, that doesn’t stop the usual bike-hating trolls.

Then again, does anything?

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You’ve got just over two weeks to ask for bike access through the VA grounds and the Los Angeles National Cemetery. Before 9/11, cyclists used to be allowed to ride through the cemetery grounds, providing a safe, fast alternative to dangerous high-traffic Westwood streets.

And for those behind the Orange Curtain, the Newport Beach Bicycle Safety Committee will meet at 4:30 pm Monday with guest speaker Charlie Gandy, Long Beach Mobility Coordinator; thanks to Frank Peters for the news. Meanwhile, Long Beach may be ready to repeal their illegal bike licensing program.

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Contrary to common perception, the New York Times says the city’s streets are among the safest in the country — unless you happen to travel on two wheels, as bike deaths increased a whopping 50% in 2009; that’s still less than the 26 deaths in 2006, though. No word on how many motorists died as a result of all those killer scofflaw cyclists the local press — or an influential Congressmen — has been hyperventilating over recently.

And as it turns out, NYDOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan shares my views on accidents:

“We need to stop thinking about these as accidents,” Ms. Sadik-Khan said. “An accident suggests that it happened by chance. These are crashes that happen by human error, by bad choices, and they are avoidable.”

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L.A.’s new point man in Sacramento helped bring the Bicycling Hall of Fame to Davis before taking his new post; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads up. The Claremont Cyclist takes a driver to task for being unwilling to take two seconds to save a life. Santa Monica ranks highest in its category for bike and pedestrian collisions; is it because of ninja cyclists and careless peds? Considering the poor infrastructure and bad drivers I’ve encountered there, probably not. Gary goes car free, again. Examined Spoke asks if bikes are more like cars or pedestrians. Now you can play Oregon Trail in the real world, or at least what passes for it here in L.A. GT recommends a better ear bud. Downtown News looks at plans to remake the Figueroa Corridor. CicLAvia is looking for a media consultant. Here’s a hint — don’t ride through a red light when you’re on parole and carrying drugs.

LovingTheBike looks at the way of whey. Lies, damned lies and bicycle statistics. I’d spend the extra ten bucks for one of these. Kill a cyclist, find a sympathetic judge, get 78 days. In a rare outbreak of common sense, a Salt Lake bike advocate says planning for street cars and bikes will work a lot better if they’re planned together. The Idaho Senate shoots down three-foot passing and anti-harassment laws; Wyoming rapidly follows suit. Riding in the aftermath of the great blizzard. The Manhattan DA bends himself into knots to find a reason to let the driver in a fatal dooring incident off the hook. DC pedestrians and cyclists urge more and better enforcement. A heartwarming story of local residents pitching in to get a new bike for a dancing former special needs student and part-time traffic guard. Popular cabaret singer Mary Cleere Haran was killed Saturday in Deefield Beach FL, when her bike was t-boned by a car exiting a driveway; link courtesy of George Wolfberg.

Euro cyclists are urged to write their European Parliament members to support a bill that would eliminate blind spots on large trucks; we could use that here. Fewer parking spaces mean lower emission rates. Brits are urged to ride their bikes on streets that could kill them, which could explain why bike deaths and serious injuries are up while the overall death rate is down. Is it smart to dial and ride? Uh, no. A UK writer says let’s get rid of that whole idea that we’re vulnerable road users. British cops fight crime with two wheels, three elephants and lemon curd. Crowd sourced advice on what to do for cycling knee pain. Video of the world’s most effective bike lock. The great debate over whether fixies need brakes reaches Down Under. Ghost bikes have spanned the globe, but evidently not in Christchurch.

Finally, in a case of rampant irrational NIMBYism, after a car skids off a bridge in icy weather, local residents see that as proof that a putting bike lane on the bridge would lead to more deaths because — wait for it — the sight of bikes behind a separated barrier would be too distracting.

Note to drivers: if the mere presence of a bike on the road would cause you to lose control and drive off a bridge, you really don’t belong behind the wheel.

In light of AOL’s $315 million HuffPo purchase over the weekend, I’d like to note that I can be bought.

Seriously.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

Ride the romance of the Westside this Sunday with the LACBC and BikingInLA

February 5, 2011 / / 2 comments

Discover the romance of the Westside this weekend

As you may know, I usually do my riding alone.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy the company of other cyclists; it’s just that I’ve always loved the freedom and solitude that cycling brings. Somehow at one with the city, yet blissfully alone; ready to follow my handlebars wherever they may lead.

Not to mention I usually do my riding on weekdays, when most people have their noses fastened firmly to the grindstone.

And the few times I’ve been part of a group, I’ve been more than content to take my place in the middle of the mass and follow a route someone else has mapped out.

That changes on Sunday.

While the rest of L.A. is still in church, sleeping in or settling down with massive quantities of beer and bean dip to watch the preshow in advance of the show before the pregame show that will lead up to the introduction to the Super Bowl that comes before the lead-up to the kickoff, I’ll be leading my first ever ride on behalf of the LACBC.

It’s just the second in the Bike Coalition’s new series of monthly Sunday Funday rides for members and guests, in which board members like myself — after a full year, they still haven’t kicked me out yet — plan a ride that shares our love of biking in the greater L.A. area.

With clear skies, the views can be breathtaking

That’s why I call this one I ♥ the Westside. Because I’ve planned a route to highlight some of the things and areas I love about West L.A. and its environs. And more specifically, about where to ride and what there is to enjoy while you’re doing it.

Which is not to say we’re going to ignore the problems we see along the way. On this ride, you’re going to see some of the best and worst this massive sun-drenched megalopolis has to offer.

Like Rodeo Drive, which could go either way depending on your perspective.

We’ll also ride Westwood’s abandoned bikeway, so you can see just what happens when a bike path is all but forgotten, yet still remains on the map. And yes, it will be a bumpy ride.

We’re going to start at the Santa Monica pier, assembling at the entrance to the pier at Ocean and Colorado at 9:30 am, with the ride commencing promptly at 10.

And yes, there are public restrooms on the pier.

The best and the worst of the Westside — saltwater, herons and trash

Then we’ll follow a route that takes in Main Street in Venice, the hard-won sharrows on Abbot Kinney and the Marina Bike Path, before taking the Ballona Creek Bike Path on the way to downtown Culver City. From there, we’ll head north to Beverly Hills before riding back through Westwood, Brentwood and Santa Monica’s Montana Ave on our way to a last leg down the beach.

Along the way, you’ll pass boutiques and farmers markets, protected wetlands and paved creek banks, housing projects and mansions. You could see snowy egrets and snowcapped mountains, fountains, fixies and Ferraris, and even some of the city’s most abundant natural resource as we’ll be passing through their native habitat.

That’s right.

Celebrities.

Along the way, we’ll stop to discuss what’s good about the areas we pass through, as well as some of the issues. And what the LACBC and its affiliate organizations are working on to make your next rides through the area even better.

If time allows, we may also offer a few optional side trips, like a quick tour through the mansions of Beverly Hills or maybe add a few easy scenic miles along the beach. And still have you home in plenty of time for the kickoff.

Or the commercials, if that’s what you’re into.

Sometimes, you can even see Canada from the Marina

We’ll ride at a moderate pace, around 12 to 15 mph, to allow time for sightseeing along the way and follow a mostly flat route — which isn’t the same as completely flat, so be ready for a few minor hills. And it gets cold at the beach, so dress warmly in layers you can remove as the day warms up.

The ride is free and open to all LACBC members, and you can bring along one guest per member. And if you’re not a member, we’ll sign you up on the spot at a significant discount, which makes this the perfect time to join up.

Pro tip: Bring a friend, and only one of you will have to join — the other can ride along as your guest.

So if you’ve ever want to ride with me — or just get out and have a good time on a lovely morning — this is your chance.

Then again, if you want something a little more challenging, come back next month when fellow board member Alex Amerri will lead a hard-charging 62-mile ride through the north San Gabriel Valley.

……..

No events or links today due to an extended internet outage in my area. I’ll try to put the rest of the calendar and the usual weekend links online tonight, assuming Verizon can keep its act together.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, General /

A crosswalk widow asks for safer streets in Santa Monica

January 29, 2011 / / 4 comments

Dangerous streets don’t just pose a risk to cyclists.

Last month, a 66-year old Santa Monica man was killed a the intersection of 10th Street and Wilshire Boulevard — a crossroad that has already seen a number of previous collisions. Vlado Herceg was walking in the crosswalk on Wilshire when he was killed just days before Christmas.

The wreck is still under investigation, but according to the Santa Monica Daily Press, some — cyclists included — blame a “streetscape that favors drivers’ speed over public safety.”

Meanwhile, his widow, Anne Herceg, wrote the city to ask for safer streets for everyone:

Thanks to Dr. Michael Cahn for the heads-up.

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Writing for Corona del Mar Today, an OC bike advocate and blogger writes about his first time riding Long Beach’s green sharrows; CdM may soon get some of their own.

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Writing for 89.9 KCRW’s Shortcuts blog, a Westside bike advocate and blogger explains to motorists that our safety depends on their driving.

Oh wait, that was me.

.………

You have one last chance to fight for bus and bike only lanes on Wilshire Blvd at City Hall on Wednesday the 2nd. Be one of the first to wear the LACBC’s very cool new kit. The cycling community’s favorite LAPD officer has good things to say about CD4 candidate Stephen Box. UCLA asks students, staff and faculty to help it become a Bike Friendly University. Streetsblog’s Damien Newton offers a great two-part interview with one of the city’s leading transportation reporters and advocates — Damien Newton. Flying Pigeon envisions a Danish Figueroa. The Bus Bench asks why unused bike lockers are being repainted when Metro is proposing service cuts? More on Tuesday’s ride with the LACBC and West Coast EPA Administrator Jared Blumenfeld. Eagle Rock’s Colorado Blvd could become a more civilized complete street. Very cool bike racks in Huntington Beach, aka Surf City USA. Cyclists help stop a wildfire and arrest an arsonist above Glendora; link courtesy of the Claremont Cyclist. Two men are under arrest for attempting to kill a 16-year old Lodi cyclist in an apparent gang attack. Nevada City remembers a cyclist killed by an apparent distracted driver a year ago.

Frame builder Mike Melton has passed away. A Utah man crashes through the doors of a local bike shop — and steals one of the cheapest bikes inside. Wyoming kills a three foot passing bill. Competing to fix a 42-mile bike shop dead zone in North Minneapolis. A New York cyclist is hit by two cars, one of whom flees the scene; meanwhile the city continues to crack down on cyclists and the irrationally bike-hating Post rails against bike lanes. Carving tracks through fresh fallen powder snow — on bikes. New York cyclists rally around a severely disfigured Cuban Paralympian rider; thanks to George Wolfberg for the link. Introducing the Boston bike stand. Trek may be developing a secret competitor to Specialized’s enormously successful Roubaix; something’s wrong your kids have a better racing bike than you do.

Pedestrians have replaced scofflaw cyclists as the motoring world’s objects of hatred. A UK county cuts funding for buses, bikes and pedestrians to pay for computer modeling for a road system it can’t afford to build. A cycling ban on London’s South Bank forces a disable woman to get off her trike. Bike theft hits home, or at least the Home Office. A Polish woman dies 18 months after she was hit by a careless truck driver in Scotland. Why mandatory helmet laws are a flawed argument. A Malaysian physician calls for a change of attitude and better biking infrastructure.

Finally, after a Cincinnati cyclist suffers severe brain injuries after being broadsided by a car, an emergency room physician helicopters in to care for her — only to discover the victim is his own wife; the story only gets more moving, and harrowing, from there.

And if you’ve ever wondered if vegans were from another planet, you may be right.

Category: General, Injuries and Fatalities /

A long, long list of upcoming events — your chance to ride with the EPA, LACBC and BikingInLA

January 29, 2011 / / Comments Off on A long, long list of upcoming events — your chance to ride with the EPA, LACBC and BikingInLA

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

The Valley Bikery hosts a Grand Opening party at its new location on 14416 Victory Blvd #104 on Saturday, January 29th from 11 am to 5 pm, including a free Basic Bike Maintenance Clinic from 11 am to noon, followed by a free Urban Expedition Ride with C.I.C.L.E. to Lake Balboa and around the Sepulveda Basin at 12:30 pm.

The LACBC invites you to pitch in to help fix up the new Bike Wrangler space, where donated and abandoned bikes will be repaired for donation to bike co-ops and low income people in high obesity areas. The second work party will be held Sunday the 30th from 11 am to 5 pm at 1205 W. 6th Street; RSVP to bobby@la-bike.org.

The Culver City Bicycle Coalition will host the first of their monthly Family Rides on Sunday, January 30th, at 10 am. The rides will start and end at Town Plaza near the Culver Hotel, 9400 Culver Blvd, and explore the city’s best bike routes; future rides will take place on the last Sunday of the month.

LACBC invites you to ride with Jared Blumenfeld, West Coast Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as other officials, on Tuesday, February 1st, to draw attention to bikes as sustainable transportation. The ride will assemble at the bridge over Ballona Creek in Play del Rey at 9:15 am, with a 9:45 start time, and make it’s way to Downtown with several stops along the way.

The California Bike Coalition will host a Bike Party in San Diego on Thursday, Feb 3rd from 7 to 9 pm. The party will take place at Velo Cult Bicycle Shop, 2220 Fern Street, with a suggested donation of $100.

C.I.C.L.E. is sponsoring a free basic maintenance clinic on Saturday, Feb 5th at 6 pm at the Bikerowave, 12255 Venice Blvd.

Also on the 5th, Flying Pigeon host its monthly Brewery Ride to a local brewery, winery or watering hole, from 3 to 5:30 pm; the ride begins at Flying Pigeon LA in Highland Park, 3714 N. Figueroa Street.

Explore the romance of Metro L.A.’s near-coastal cities with the LACBC’s second Sunday Funday ride, I ♥ the Westside. Riders will assemble at the Santa Monica Pier, at the end of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica at 9:30 am on Sunday, February 6th, with the ride starting at 10 am. The course will follow a mostly flat route 30-mile route through Santa Monica, Venice, Culver City, Westwood and Brentwood, before returning along the beach to the pier. It’s free to LACBC members and one guest, and will be lead by your humble host at BikingInLA.

Flying Pigeon and the Bike Oven host the free Spoke(n) Art Ride on the 2nd Saturday of every month; the next ride will take place on February 12th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

On Tuesday, Feb 17, Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles hosts “In Good Company…A European Shopping Experience” offering the latest products from top European cycling manufacturers, as well as biking celebrities, special promotions, food and drink from 7 pm to 10 pm, 2300 Santa Monica Blvd in Santa Monica.

Ride in support of the Dream Act with the 50-mile L.A. to O.C. Dream Ride on Sunday, February 20th, Starting at Corazon del Pueblo 2003 E. 1st. Street in Boyle Heights and ending at Centro Cultural de Mexico 310 W. 5th Street in Santa Ana. Registration and $15 fee are due by January 28th, including lunch, dinner, maintenance during the ride and an overnight stay in Orange County.

UCLA will host a free day-long Complete Streets workshop on Friday, February 25th; participation is open to registered attendees. The workshop will take place from 8:30 am to 7 pm at the Japanese American National Museum at 369 East 1st Street Downtown. Contact d.grantham@ucla.edu to register, or call 310/562-7356.

It’s never too early to mark your calendar for the second CicLAvia on April 10th, 2011, which promises to be even bigger than the first.

And while you’re at it, mark down Sunday, June 5 when the 11th Annual River Ride, L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride, will roll to benefit the LACBC. Or better yet, just sign up now.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

San Diego man killed in motorized bike collision; you’re invited to ride with the EPA on Tuesday

January 27, 2011 / / 9 comments

Fifty-seven year old Gary Galvin died a week after suffering severe injuries while riding his motorized bike in Oceanside. The San Diego resident somehow hit a tree on January 17th for unknown reasons; he passed away on Saturday due to blunt-force head injuries, despite wearing a helmet.

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Services will be held tomorrow for a Ramona man killed in a SWSS* last Friday when his bike allegedly strayed across the yellow line and struck a flatbed truck.

According to the CHP, thirty-seven year old Steven “Steve” Garner may have been under the influence at the time of the collision. If the driver’s version is true — and he appears to be the only surviving witness — Garner was weaving as he rode, and somehow hit the truck’s trailer.

However, it would seem that a cyclist would have to be extraordinarily drunk to not notice or be able to avoid a large truck on the other side of the road. And how a bike could strike a truck with enough force to be thrown 65 feet through the air would seem to defy explanation.

*Single Witness Suicide Swerve

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A nice obituary in the Ridgecrest Daily Independent about Allyn R. Berryman, a WWII vet who lived an interesting life, from consulting with Jacques Cousteau to cycling from Fairbanks to Mexico City.

Just a reminder not to judge people by what they appear to be at the end of their lives; the elderly men and women you meet may have lived a life that would put yours — and mine — to shame. Never hurts to say hello and find out.

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The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition invites you to ride with the EPA on Tuesday the 1st, and announces the date for this year’s River Ride on June 5th, so mark your calendar. Or better yet, just click the link and register now.

And the Coalition is asking for your input on questions to ask the candidates in this year’s March 8th City Council elections.

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The Venice Neighborhood Council votes to support extending the beachfront Marvin Braude Bike Path to the marina inlet jetty, from where it currently stops at Washington Blvd. C.I.C.L.E. is hosting an Urban Expedition Ride around the Sepulveda Dam Basin and Lake Balboa, with a free pre-ride maintenance workshop by the Valley Bikery; thanks to KPCC’s Siel Ju for the heads-up. Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles invites you to explore the latest offerings from leading European manufacturers on Feb. 17th. LADOT continues to stripe bike lanes on Rinaldi and Reseda in the Valley. Flying Pigeon offers a short but delicious list of bike friendly businesses. Volunteers help beautify a neglected bike path in Arleta. How do you say hipster in Español? Los Fixis Bicicletas seems to come pretty close. Four years in jail for the Sacramento woman who dragged a cyclist under her car for a quarter-mile in a drunken hit and run; you may remember the story of a witness running up and grabbing her keys to stop her. Bay Area cyclists look for love on two wheels.

The history of women in cycling. Great series of photos showing stars from Hollywood’s golden age riding bikes. Bike lawyer Bob Mionske offers advice on where and how to pass while on a bike, although the accompanying graphic seems to be missing; my rule of thumb is to give everyone — cyclists, pedestrians and motorists — the same three feet passing distance I expectt. A Denver bike cop is hit by a driver who claims he just didn’t see him; for once, that excuse probably won’t work. The Springfield Cyclist gets a compliment on his bike one night, and nearly run over the next day. Boston goes from worst to one of the country’s best biking cities in just three years. A DC area cyclist is ticketed for speeding, doing 31 in a 25 mph zone. Attention Twitterati — #bikeschool takes place tonight from 6 to 7.

Alberto Contador will be the latest to be stripped of his Tour de France title for after being banned for one year for doping, although he won’t be fined; new winner Andy Schleck says he doesn’t want it. A new social networking campaign says it’s not a race, give cyclists space. Maybe it’s time for a mandatory helmet law for motorists.

Finally, Contador is just the latest, as doping dates back at least 2800 years. Upon further testing of the B-sample, Pheidippides has been disqualified in the first Marathon, and victory awarded to the Persians.

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