Archive for General

Breaking news: PCH cyclists save two scuba divers from drowning off Malibu coast

November 7, 2010 / / 4 comments

Thousands of drivers speed by every day.

But it took a couple of cyclists to hear the cries for help — and save a pair of scuba divers trapped in the unforgiving surf.

Bankruptcy attorney and cyclist Stanley E. Goldich reports that he was on his way back from a ride up PCH on Saturday when he passed a group of riders stopped on the ocean side of the highway near Deer Creek Road.

He saw a number of bicycles on the side of the road, looking like the riders had gone down to the beach, as well as a couple of cyclists with their riding cleats off. While it caught his attention, it didn’t seem like anything was wrong, so he continued riding.

But when a fire truck roared up and stopped at that exact spot, he turned around to check things out.

And what he found surprised him.

He spoke with two women, Martha Hunt and Rachel Hosmer, both triathletes who were on the backside of a ride from Santa Monica to the Rock.

As they rode, they’d heard yells for help that seemed to come from the ocean; when they stopped, they discovered two men in scuba suits trapped in the surf and unable to climb out due to the steep slope of the shore. Their wetsuits had filled with water, and they were drowning as they were dragged down by the undertow and excess weight.

Hunt immediately threw off her bike shoes and made her way down the steep embankment, first pulling out the man closest to her, then going back out to the man further from shore, who seemed to be in greater difficulty.

He proved to be more than she could handle on her own. Fortunately, Hosmer had flagged down another group of passing cyclists, five of whom went into the water to help Hunt pull the drowning man to safety.

Goldich reports that the men were still being treated by firefighters when he left. They were conscious, although clearly in need of medical attention, but should be okay. They reportedly told Hunt that they were training for their scuba certification, and this was only their second time using the equipment.

Thankfully, it may not be their last.

Cyclists may be far from the most popular people in Malibu these days. But I have a feeling that two men and their families are very grateful that Hunt and Hosmer went out for a Saturday ride on PCH.

Unfortunately, Goldich wasn’t able to get their contact information. But if anyone out there knows Martha Hunt or Rachel Hosmer, or any of the other cyclists involved in the rescue, I’d love to hear the story from their perspective.

Both women, and the others involved, are real heroes.

Two men are breathing tonight who might not be without them.

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

Fixing a dangerous NoHo intersection a little too late; Cyclecross in Griffith Park, events & weekend links

November 6, 2010 / / 3 comments

Efforts are underway to get a traffic signal at the North Hollywood intersection where cyclist Robert Painter was killed last December by a heartless driver who fled the scene and left him to die in the street. Unfortunately, it’s too late for two little girls; one killed and the other in critical condition as a result of a driver who hit them in the same marked crosswalk.

Update: Earlier I’d written that the driver who hit the girls had fled the scene, rather than the driver who killed Robert Painter. That was my error; thanks to Michele for calling it to my attention.

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Looks flat, right? Didn't use to.

Greg forwards a photo of the Marina Bike Path between Mindanao and Fiji Ways. It may not look like much, but he says the simple fact that it’s flat is a big improvement as some of the tree roots that have forced the pavement up have been ground down.

On the other hand, it was still pretty bumpy last time I rode through.

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In upcoming events:

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

Help the South Bay Bicycle Coalition conduct vital a bike count to help prepare for the upcoming South Bay Bike Master Plan on Saturday the 6th from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm; volunteers are still needed. Thanks to Steve Montalto for the heads-up.

Flying Pigeon host their next Brewery Ride to the Eagle Rock Brewery on Saturday, November 6, starting at 3:20 pm at the Flying pigeon LA bike shop on North Figueroa.

Cyclocross racing comes to Griffith Park as the SoCal Cross Prestige Series hits town on Saturday and Sunday, November 6th and 7th, from 9 am to 4 pm both days. The event takes place in the Vermont Canyon Park and Parking Lot next to the Greek Theatre. You’re invited to join in on the 2:30 pm Saturday Fun Cross Relay for Charity, free for LACBC members.

Flying Pigeon invites riders to ride and share a beer with Momentum Magazine co-founders Mia Kohout and Tania Lo on Wednesday, November 10 from 6 pm to 8:30 pm, starting at Flying Pigeon’s North Figueroa location.

Friday and Saturday, November 12th & 13th, celebrate the city’s favorite cuisine by riding your bike to the LA Tamale Throwdown sponsored by the Eastside Bicycle Club at Our Lady of Guadalupe church in Rose Hill; free bike valet sponsored by the very busy Flying Pigeon LA bike shop.

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 Saturday, November 13th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

On Saturday, November 20th, the San Fernando Valley Bicycle Club is tentatively scheduled to hold a memorial ride for James Laing, the cyclist killed by an alleged drunk hit-and-run driver in Agoura Hills on October 23rd. The ride is scheduled to begin at 8 am at the Agoura Hills Bicycle John’s, 29041 Thousand Oaks Blvd; it will have an easy pace to accommodate all riders, and visit the roadside memorial where Laing was killed.

Explore the effects of bicycles on art and culture at Re:Cycle — Bike Culture in Southern California, at U.C. Riverside’s newly relocated Sweeney Art Gallery at the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts, 3834 Main Street in downtown Riverside, exhibition continues through December 31st.

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LADOT Bike Blog offers a detailed report on Thursday’s Planning Commission meeting; sorry I missed it earlier. Stephen Box says cyclists should have input into the selection of the new LADOT chief or City Hall will once again face the wrath of the riders. Thanks to the efforts of cyclists and local residents, Burbank’s Verdugo Avenue road diet survives for at least another six months. Get a discount at Local in Silver Lake when you ride your bike. Bicycle Fixation considers the last patch job on the massive 4th Street pothole known as the Hudson River. The Inland Empire Women Cyclists celebrated Halloween with their Great Pumpkin Ride; thanks to the Claremont Cyclist for the link. San Francisco holds their Bike Expo on Saturday. The cyclist killed by a big rig near Portola Valley on Thursday was a nurse, mother and avid cyclist out to make the roads safer; every death on the roads leaves a hole in someone’s world. A Petaluma writer says fix the roads first and screw the proposed bike boulevard.

A Times writer takes a sunrise bike ride down Maui’s Haleakala volcano; personally, I’d rather ride in Barcelona or maybe visit a shrine to the patron saint of cyclists. More on the culture clash dividing the nation’s largest cycling club. A roadway confrontation in the Colorado high country results in the conviction of both the driver and a cyclist. The mysterious Muskegon bike artist strikes again. A Connecticut garage owner graphically demonstrates the dangers of distracted driving. The Philadelphia-based hipster bicycle video game you’ve been waiting for will soon be available from the Apple App Store. South Carolina’s car-free Bicycle City breaks ground next month; now that I think about it, BikingInSC has a ring to it.

British bike deaths declined 10% last year, but rose the first part of this year. An innovative bike anti-theft device is being tested in Portsmouth, UK; if someone tries to move the bike it triggers a security camera. Definition of irony: A Brit cyclist is run over by a trailer full of London’s Boris Bikes. A presumably dope-free Floyd Landis finishes 4th in New Zealand’s Tour of Southland. An Aussie driver who killed a former cricket star who was riding with friends loses his license and gets a whopping $900 fine; of course, that coverts to a much stiffer $913 U.S.

Finally, how to terrorize an entire city on two wheels; gravity is the only law you have to obey. Then again, the Eagle County CO District Attorney really knows how to terrorize a community, as a Vail-area driver escapes felony charges for seriously injuring a cyclist in a hit-and-run because a conviction could hurt his ability to earn a living.

No, seriously.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Cyclists storm Planning Commission to demand bike plan changes — and the Commission listens

November 5, 2010 / / 6 comments

Just a few of the heroes who deserve our thanks; photo courtesy of LACBC.

It’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way over the last couple of years.

As much as I’d like to be involved in everything that affects cycling in Los Angeles and attend every important meeting, I can’t. Especially weeks like this, when something important took place every day of the week.

While quantum physics suggests that I can, in fact, be in two places at once, I’ve yet to find a way to apply that real life.

And for some odd reason, my wife still expects me to earn a living; maybe if she rode a bike she’d realize that unpaid advocacy work is far more important than something as trivial as paying the bills and keeping a roof over our heads.

So yesterday I looked at a calendar crowded with the Planning Commission’s consideration of the bike plan, a meeting of Beverly Hills new Bicycle Ad Hoc Committee and a biking presentation in Long Beach, as well as a couple of court hearings. And realized that I wasn’t going to be able to attend any of them.

Fortunately, there’s no shortage of people who give a damn about bicycling in this megalopolis we call home. Case in point, the previously mentioned meeting of the Planning Commission.

Despite the early hour, the room reportedly was crowded with cyclists; Joe Linton reported that 25 – 30 were still there 3.5 hours later when the item finally came up on the agenda. And there were still a number of riders in the room when the meeting finally ended around 5 pm.

I won’t offer a recap of a meeting I didn’t attend. You can read a full report on Streetsblog today. And you can get a flavor for the meeting from a great Twitter feed put together by Bicycling Nate, which allowed me to follow the progress of the meeting in real time when I should have been working.

However, reports are that a number of cyclists spoke eloquently and forcefully. And the Commission heard them, forming a subcommittee to consider the complaints from cyclists and report back on December 16th.

And yes, I’ve already marked my calendar. Even if I already have two other can’t-miss meetings scheduled for that same 24-hour period.

This was probably the best possible outcome. The Commission didn’t kill a plan that has a lot of good elements in it, but also didn’t blindly forward a plan that still has a number of obvious flaws.

It will be interesting to see what they come back with next month. Just like it would be to see the original work from Alta Planning, which reportedly never made it into the plan the public saw — and risked their hard-earned reputation as one of the nation’s leading bicycle planning firms.

But one thing we don’t have to wonder about is the hard work done by representatives from the LACBC, Bikeside and the city’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, as well as a number of individual cyclists.

They deserve all the credit for what looks right now like a huge win. And they deserve our thanks.

They have mine.

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More on the bike plan that was considered by the Planning Commission on Thursday. Council candidate Stephen Box called on the commission to reject the plan. Gary encouraged riders to show up en masse at the hearing. Alex Thompson writes that everyone agreed that the bike plan needs fixing. LACBC offered talking points for the meeting. Herbie offered an insightful look at what the plan is and isn’t, and offers the questions she wanted answered. LAist reports that cyclists were united against the plan; of course, there’s a big difference between wanting to fix something and being against it.

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Streetsblog’s Damien Newton writes that the City Hall rumor mill has either John Fisher or Amir Sedadi being promoted to take over LADOT. The question is, how can you change the culture of a notoriously dysfunctional and auto-centric agency by promoting from within?

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Long Beach cyclists reclaim bikes seized by police during Friday’s failed Critical Mass ride, and prepare to bring their complaints to the City Council on Tuesday. Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious reports that there seems to be no legal basis for the seizure, while Gary says it’s the dark side of bicycle registration. A online publication reminds the LBPD that repression breeds resistance. And BikeBiz clearly demonstrates that they have no idea that Long Beach and Los Angeles are two different places.

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Mihai Peteu continues his excellent coverage of the Shawn Fields case, the driver accused of killing teenage cyclist Danny Marin in a drunken, late-night hit-and-run on October 2nd.

He reports that Fields entered a not guilty plea yesterday, and that a preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 7th. According to Mihai, the defense complained about a “mean-spirited internet posting” about Shawn; a reminder to all of us — myself included — to let the legal system take its course and not let our anger interfere with the case.

Even if the comments left by his friends break your heart.

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In today’s daily doping news, Alejandro Valverde loses his appeal of his drug ban, while Vuelta runner-up Ezequiel Mosquera denies rumors that his case has been dismissed. The French anti-doping agency wants back into the Tour de France, while 2008 TdF winner Carlos Sastre films a Spanish anti-doping spot. Here’s your chance to ride the full route of next year’s Giro. Next year’s inaugural Quiznos Pro Challenge will roll over some serious mountain territory, even if it’s stuck with a name only a sandwich marketer could love.

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Stephen Box says the City Council is about to pass the Cyclists’ Bill of Rights and a Complete Streets Policy; unfortunately, it’s the Baltimore City Council. UCLA offers a new guide to getting around Los Angeles without a car; maybe they could work with the L.A. Convention and Visitors Bureau to make a version for tourists, too. A Caltrain study shows that cyclists are bumped from their trains just .02% of the time, while riders report a much higher rate. The next time you feel like you’re burning up the road, maybe you really will be. An unnamed woman is killed by a big rig while riding on Alpine Road near Portola Valley.

Bicycling offers readers’ tips on how to survive anything, along with advice on how to fly up hills. Orange gear to ride safe in hunting season; here in L.A., cyclists are always in season. The newly empowered far-right backlash begins as the Weekly Standard says the road to hell is paved with bike paths. A new iPhone app guides you through what to do if you’re in a bike wreck. The bike community loses its best friend in Congress, as Minnesota’s Jim Oberstar goes down to defeat. A Tempe AZ driver intentionally hits a pedestrian he accused of stealing his bike, leaving the man with life-threatening injuries; at this point, a stolen bike would seem to be the least of his problems. Police are unable to locate an Iowa driver charged in the July death of a cyclist. In a perfect example of schadenfreude, Minnesota man steals a bike and rides it off a 75-foot embankment when police give chase. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is accepting public comments on proposed rule changes that will affect children’s bikes, fixies and recumbents.

Oxford police stop an average of one rider without lights every 90 seconds. A Brit cyclist gets away with a warning after hitting a 4-year old girl while riding illegally on the sidewalk. A British rider offers his perspective on road rage. Dublin needs 4,000 more bike parking spaces thanks to a one-third increase in ridership.

Finally, after a very un-Dutch call for children to wear helmets in the province of Zeeland, Amsterdamize notes that an Amsterdam cyclist will die of bike-related in injuries an average of once every 63,368 years.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Last chance to influence the bike plan, Karabian pleads no contest, cyclecross comes to Griffith Park

November 3, 2010 / / 3 comments

Your final chance to comment on the latest draft of the 2010 bike plan comes at 8:30 am on Thursday, when the Los Angeles City Planning Commission meets in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

However, you may not want to rush, since it’s item 10 on a very crowded agenda. You may want to pack a lunch.

LADOT Bike Blog says the long process is finally coming to an end, while Joe Linton examines what a long, strange trip its been.

Damien Newton says TranspoComm chair Bill Rosendahl promises that he won’t let the plan leave committee until the cycling community is happy with it, but it’s better to fix it now — and notes there are still problems to fix.

The ultimate local cycling odd couple of CicLAvia meister and LACBC founder Joe Linton and Bikeside President Alex Thompson join with Bikeside’s Rach Stevenson to say cyclists will be worse off if the bike plan is adopted, and offer a detailed evaluation to back it up.

Stephen Box says when it comes to the bike plan, the city Planning staff is guilty of embellishing reality. And Josef Bray-Ali had previously called it the best looking pile of horseshit he’s seen in ages.

The LACBC contends no plan is ever perfect, and this one includes a number of hard-fought recommendations — including giving priority to projects that will benefit low-income riders and provisions for accountability — and deserves our support.

My take is that, as it stands now, the plan provides a decent framework to move forward, but could still stand significant improvement. Whether or not it will make a difference on our streets depends entirely on what kind of support it gets at City Hall, and how it’s interpreted by the next head of LADOT.

If Mayor Villaraigosa can somehow entice New York’s Janet Sadik-Khan or Long Beach’s Charlie Gandy to come to Los Angeles, this plan could make L.A. a cyclist’s paradise. But if the city promotes or hires someone with the same old auto-centric focus that has destroyed the livability of so many parts of our city, it will be a roadmap to failure.

But the real question is, what do you think?

If you can’t make it Downtown on Thursday, you may want to drop into room 280-A of Beverly Hills City Hall to hear an update from that city’s new Bicycle Ad Hoc Committee; the meeting begins at 9 am.

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Walter Karabian, the former State Assembly leader who drove his car into a parking lot attendant at a USC game — apparently intentionally, since he hit her several times — pled no contest to a lesser charge on Tuesday. He was sentenced to a paltry 40 hours of community service and three years probation.

So the next time a parking attendant won’t let you into a full lot, feel free to run her/him over; evidently, it’s really not that big a deal.

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The Long Beach Post interviews Ronnie Sandler, one of the organizers behind Friday’s failed Long Beach Critical Mass, who details their many attempts to get a permit for the ride — the lack of which was cited as a primary reason for the heavy-handed police crackdown.

The article also states that Long Beach courts have already ruled that fixed-gear bikes don’t need a separate brake, since they are able to comply with the requirement that a bike be able to leave a skid mark on clean, dry pavement — which seems to be one of the key issues here.

It will be interesting to see how the city attempts to rebuild the bike-friendly image that has been shattered virtually overnight, or if they simply ignore it and hope we’ll all forget.

And there were problems with the Los Angeles Critical Mass, too, as bike cops reportedly waived cyclists through red lights while motorcycle cops ticketed the riders for following their instructions.

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USA Cycling considers a ban on helmet cams, and carbon bikes for junior riders. UCI president Pat McQuaid says the ban for doping cyclists should be doubled to four years. Disgraced ex-Tour de France winner Floyd Landis and his coach face charges for hacking into the French anti-doping lab. The Los Angeles grand jury not officially investigating Lance Armstrong will hear from long-time teammate Yaroslav Popovych today. The first-ever champions of the new Colorado High School Mountain Bike League.

And clear your schedule for the weekend, as cyclecross racing comes to Griffith Park this Saturday.

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LACBC joins with LADOT and other city officials to examine the proposed 4th Street Bike Boulevard, while Stephen Box points out the city’s failure to fix the roads extends even there. LACBC introduces their new and improved bike valet. LA Streetsblog has a new Facebook page. The Daily Bruin says riding to campus just got easier, thanks to UCLA’s new bike library. Will timelapses his ride through the Arroyo Seco, parts of which seem more mojado than seco. Flying Pigeon offers a new online store. A view from Canada at the Wilbur Ave road diet dispute doesn’t bode well for that country’s cyclists. If you’re looking for work, Felt needs a Demo Driver Sales/Tech Rep in Irvine/Ontario. In yet another case in which cyclist discourtesy has nothing to do with Orange County collisions, a Placentia rider is hit by a red light running driver. Momentum offers a look at cycling in San Diego, from one of my favorite writers at Bike San Diego. A new bike advocacy group takes root in El Dorado Hills.

More than $1 billion in federal funding for bike and ped projects this year; don’t count on that next year with the GOP in control of the House. The 50,000 mile interstate bike route may become a reality. How to safely use a bike lane. Daily exercise such as cycling can improve your immune system, cutting the risk and severity of colds. The country’s most bike-friendly city still doesn’t have a single singletrack trail. Mas macho advice on urban commuting.  A Kansas lawyer warns drivers that some cyclists know the law. A Carolina cyclist hit while riding on her birthday dies 10 days later. The hard part of vehicular cycling is feeling guilty because you’re in someone’s way. An American set a new world record by riding a stationary bike 222 hours, 22 minutes and 22 seconds.

Bell’s newest helmets feature built-in headlights, but is that enough to overcome the geek factor? The Guardian looks at the race to improve nighttime visibility. Great Britain’s transportation department wants children to play a game where they get run over if they aren’t wearing bright colored clothes — even if they do everything else right. A 10-year old cerebral palsy victim has a life-changing operation that may allow him to fulfill his dream of riding a bike. An Aussie police chief says cyclists who ride without headlights are just as dangerous as drivers who don’t use them; as the Witch on a Bicycle points out, he could use a refresher course in physics. Cyclelicious looks at Japan’s mamachari blog focusing on that country’s Mama bikes.

Finally, Dan Maes, the tinfoil hat-wearing candidate for Colorado governor who suggested that Denver’s bike share program was a UN plot, may not have been the night’s biggest loser, but with just over 10% of the vote, he was close. And the bike-friendly Denver mayor behind the program was elected as the state’s new leader.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

Apparently, bicycling’s own Bull Connor is alive and well and living in Long Beach

November 2, 2010 / / 14 comments

In case you’re still wondering why you need to vote today, consider this.

Even in the most bike-friendly city in Southern California, a seemingly out-of-control police department can engage in a heavy-handed crackdown on cyclists.

Not only did the Long Beach police department halt the city’s first Critical Mass ride for lack of a permit — raising questions over the rider’s First Amendment right to free association and freedom of assembly — they seized up to 40 bikes with no apparent legal basis.

Or at least, no police officer I’ve spoken with was aware of any law that would allow a mass seizure of legally owned bikes.

Maybe they have a different set of laws down there.

One of the reasons for the seizure cited in the Times article was a lack of brakes on 11 of the bikes. Yet the standard under state law only requires that the operator must be able to make one wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement — a standard that most fixies can easily meet.

Any guesses whether the officers made the riders try to skid their bikes before taking them?

Yeah, I don’t think so either.

The article also says that bikes must be registered with the city and inspected by the fire department. Yet under state law, such local licensing requirements can only be enforced against city residents, and cannot be applied to anyone who lives in a different jurisdiction or is just riding through the city.

And the law only allows for a maximum fine of $10 for not having a license. Nothing in the law allows for the seizure of a bike for not having a license — even for local residents.

The official statement from the city, which goes to great lengths to remind everyone what a cycling Nirvana Long Beach is — or rather, was prior to Friday — says 21 bikes were impounded, and over 70 citations issued. It also claims the riders chose not to get a permit, even though the Times story reports that they attempted to get a permit for the past two months.

And even though that pesky little First Amendment seems to make a permit unnecessary. Does Long Beach plan to crack down on any group of riders who happen to gather together for a ride?

Or only the ones that call themselves Critical Mass?

As more details come to light, the words of Police Chief Jim McDonnell sound even more chilling than they did over the weekend:

“The group known as Critical Mass travels from city to city and as a matter of practice engages in dangerous conduct, violating every rule of the road and endangering the public.” said Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “We take bicycle safety seriously in Long Beach and will not stand by idly while any person or group acts with blatant disregard for safety of the residents of our community.”

If you’ve been reading this for awhile, you may know that I’ve never been a fan of Critical Mass. And I’m the first to agree that police have every right to write up cyclists for legitimate violations such as running stop signs and not having lights after dark.

On the other hand, I’m even less a fan of police officers who seem to operate under their own version of the law. If this is how the “most bicycle friendly city in America” treats cyclists, God help the rest of us.

I thought this kind of policing went out of style with Bull Connor in the ‘60s.

But clearly, not everyone agrees.

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More information about the memorial ride for Jim Laing, the cyclist who was killed by an alleged drunk hit-and-run driver on October 23rd.

The ride is tentatively scheduled to begin at 8 am on Saturday, November 20th, at the Agoura Bicycle John’s at Kanan Road and East Thousand Oaks Blvd, and will pass by the site where he was killed on Agoura Road. It will be short, and slow to moderate pace, so it should be something anyone can feel comfortable participating in.

The early start may make it difficult for me to get out there in time for the ride, but I’m going to do my best to be there.

Because we need remember all those cyclists who have died needlessly on our streets, and let their loved ones know we share their grief.

And make it clear that too damn many of us have died already.

Thanks to Dave Mace for the information.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Update: Anti-harassment ordinance clears Public Safety Committee

November 1, 2010 / / 2 comments

Just a quick update on this morning’s Public Safety Committee meeting.

After a surprisingly brief and mostly supportive discussion  — including comments from Ross Hirsch, the attorney for hit-and-run victim Ed Magos, along with BAC chair Glenn Bailey and Alexis Lantz of the LACBC — the committee members voted unanimously to endorse the proposal previously put forward by the Transportation Committee.

With one member missing from the meeting this morning, that means 9 of the 15 council members have now voted to support the measure, without a single vote against it.

Now my understanding is that it will go before the full City Council for approval before being sent back to the City Attorney’s office to actually draft the ordinance.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

An open letter to the L.A. City Council Public Safety Committee

November 1, 2010 / / 2 comments

Monday morning, I intend to make the following remarks to the members of the Los Angeles City Council’s Public Safety Committee when it considers the proposed bicycle anti-harassment ordinance.

The Chairman of this committee was recently quoted in the L.A. Times suggesting that cyclists make up just 2% of the city’s population, compared to the 98% who drive cars.

Yet the city’s own 2010 bike plan suggests that over 5% of Los Angeles residents ride a bike on a weekly basis — and up to half ride at least occasionally. And many would ride more if they felt safer on the streets of this city.

One reason they don’t is a lack of infrastructure and roads designed with the safety of all road users in mind, like the recently improved Wilbur Avenue. But another reason is the harassment we face on a daily basis.

The Dr. Christopher Thompson case was just the tip of the iceberg.

I challenge you to talk to any local cyclist. Virtually all have been forced off the road or had objects thrown at them, sworn at, honked at, short-stopped, passed in a threatening manner or told to get off the road.

All of which has happened to me in recent months. And any of which can cause cyclists to lose control of their bikes, resulting in possible injury. Or worse.

In just the last week, I’ve been deliberately crowded off the road by one driver, and intentionally cut off by another — even though I was riding in a designated bike lane with the right-or-way.

These people feel safe harassing cyclists because they know the odds of being caught are virtually nil. It seldom occurs when a police officer is around, which means that in most cases, the only options we’ve had to defend ourselves are our own words and gestures.

And no word can defend against an angry driver in a 2,000 pound car.

This proposed ordinance would be the first step in allowing cyclists to defend themselves, in a civil, rather than criminal, court — which means that a police officer would not have to witness the incident.

The chances of winning any given case might be small. But the deterrent effect would be huge, as drivers realize for the first time that they could be held accountable for their actions. And virtually overnight, L.A. would change from a bicycling backwater to a world leader in protecting the rights of the city’s most vulnerable road users.

But it has to has teeth to be effective. It must provide a minimum $1,000 fine for violations, and a provision for lawyers fees so we can have someone fighting in our corner.

This isn’t about Ridazz or racers, wrong-way cyclists or sidewalk riders. It isn’t even about whether you like or respect cyclists. It’s about protecting the rights and safety of a sizable percentage of this city’s citizens — your constituents.

And make no mistake. It will protect the public safety and it will save lives.

And isn’t that the purpose of this committee?

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Help the very active South Bay Bicycle Coalition conduct vital a bike count to prepare for the upcoming South Bay Bike Master Plan on Thursday, November 4th from 3 pm to 6 pm, and again on Saturday the 6th from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm; volunteers are still needed. Thanks to Steve Montalto for the heads-up.

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Maybe Long Beach isn’t so bike friendly after all.

“The group known as Critical Mass travels from city to city and as a matter of practice engages in dangerous conduct, violating every rule of the road and endangering the public.” said Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “We take bicycle safety seriously in Long Beach and will not stand by idly while any person or group acts with blatant disregard for safety of the residents of our community.”

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A look at L.A.’s first bike corral, temporary though it may be. Bike cops are back on the streets of Escondido. A board member of the South Bay Bicycle Coalition says yes, there are bad cyclists, but they’re far from the majority. Colorful mystery bikes appear in Muskegon MI. A teenage cyclist is killed by an off-duty Connecticut cop. Bicyclists aren’t always the good guys. A month later, a cyclist lingers in a coma, and South Carolina police still haven’t explained how a driver could fail to see 20 cyclists on the side of the road directly in front of him. The nation’s deadliest state for bicyclists claims yet another victim. Opera singer Andrea Bocelli doesn’t let a lack of sight stop him from riding a bike. A Japanese man traveling the world on a bamboo bicycle is hit by a car and injured in Illinois. A famed cycling photographer appears to label three-time TdF champ Greg LeMond a fool. After the original 2012 Olympic Road route is deemed not tough enough, local London residents want their race back. The 2012 Tour de France will lay siege to Liège. By 2014, you could find bike lanes on the Champs-Elysées in the City of Lights. Bike cops on the beat in Amsterdam. A survey says safety concerns ware what keep Indian cyclists off the road.

Finally, officials may name a public bike trail through the Folsom Prison grounds made famous by country singer Johnny Cash in his honor.

I hear those bikes a comin’, they’re comin’ round the bend. I ain’t seen the sunshine, since I don’t know when. I’m stuck in Folsom Prison…

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Your Halloween linkapalooza — PSC meeting Monday; free contest and screening of 127 Hours

October 30, 2010 / / One comment

Rise and shine early on Monday morning.

The City Council’s Public Safety Committee will be meeting at 9:30 am at Downtown’s City Hall to discuss the proposed bicycle anti-harassment ordinance, among other matters.

Attendance is mandatory. Or just this side of it, since the proposal previously got an unfriendly reading before the same committee.

Of course, that was before the City Attorney’s office came up with the first-in-the-nation solution of making the harassment of cyclists a civil violation.

So maybe it will be different this time. Maybe the members of the committee will recognize the danger we face on the streets, and finally give us a way to defend ourselves. Although that doesn’t seem likely, based on recent comments from committee chair Greig Smith.

But our chances will be a lot better if we can fill the room with bike riders.

.………

Maybe you recall the amazing story of Aron Ralston, the hiker who was pinned by a boulder in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park until he took drastic action to escape and save his own life.

Now his story has been made into the movie 127 Hours by the director of 28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire. I’m told there’s some amazing singletrack riding in the film. But I wouldn’t count on any Bollywood numbers this time.

Or zombies for that matter.

127 HOURS is the new film from Danny Boyle, the Academy Award winning director of last year’s Best Picture, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. 127 HOURS is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston’s (James Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah.  Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65 foot wall and hike over eight miles before he is finally rescued.  Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers (Clemence Poesy), family, and the two hikers (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara) he met before his accident.  Will they be the last two people he ever had the chance to meet?  A visceral thrilling story that will take an audience on a never before experienced journey and prove what we can do when we choose life.

You’re invited to attend a free screening on Thursday, November 4th; just click here and enter the code ROCKR661. You can see a trailer on the film’s website.

You’re also invited to describe your own life changing moment for a contest sponsored by Outside Magazine in conjunction with the movie, called 127 Defining Moments. 126 winners will be selected, with Ralston’s story marking the final defining moment. Ten grand prize winners will be chosen, and all 126 finalists will receive prizes provided by Eddie Bauer First Ascent, Sierra Designs, Larabar and CamelBak.

Hey, it’s gotta be good. The publicist for the film is a fellow cyclist who attended Tour de Fat last weekend.

It’s like we’re all bonded now, right?

.………

A very busy calendar for this week:

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

Explore the effects of bicycles on art and culture at Re:Cycle — Bike Culture in Southern California, at U.C. Riverside’s newly relocated Sweeney Art Gallery at the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts, 3834 Main Street in downtown Riverside, exhibition continues through December 31st.

Sunday, October 31, celebrate Halloween in one of Southern California’s scariest cities for cyclists as Better Bike BH meets to discuss ways to improve bike-unfriendly Beverly Hills at 2 pm at Peets Coffee, 258 S. Beverly Drive.

The next public hearing for L.A.’s proposed bicycle anti-harassment ordinance takes place at the City Council Public Safety Committee at 9:30 am on Monday, November 1st in room 1010 of Downtown’s City Hall.

Tuesday, November 2nd is Election Day. So drop whatever you’re doing and go vote, because yes, it does matter.

Also on Tuesday — after you’ve voted, of course — Bicycle John’s in Agoura Hills invites you to ride with cycling legend Andy Hampsten. Just show up by 2 pm with your bike and proper riding attire at the intersection of Kanan Road and East Thousand Oaks Blvd. Or leave your bike at home and arrive by 1 pm to get fitted for a demo bike and try out the new Campy Revolution 11.

Tuesday evening, cyclists are encouraged to attend the Burbank City Council meeting to support the Verdugo Avenue road diet, currently under fire from disgruntled motorists angry that they now have to drive within the speed limit. The meeting takes place at 6 pm at the City Council Chambers, 275 East Olive Avenue in Burbank; the perfect way to celebrate after casting your ballot. You did vote, right?

At noon on November 3rd, the LACBC hosts the 2nd Ed Magos Ride for Justice, inviting cyclists to ride from the Bicycle Kitchen to Downtown’s LA County Superior Courthouse for the sentencing of the woman who ran Ed Magos down and left him lying in pain on the street. Remember, it was pressure from cyclists that got the police and City Attorney’s office to reconsider their original decision not to file charges.

Find out what’s happening with bike and pedestrian projects in Northern California, when Bike Long Beach hosts Jeremy Nelson of Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates Thursday, November 4th at 12 noon at Studio 111, 111 West Ocean Blvd, 20th Floor, in downtown Long Beach. RSVP at balmer63@yahoo.com by 5 pm Wednesday, November 3rd.

Help the very active South Bay Bicycle Coalition conduct vital a bike count to help prepare for the upcoming South Bay Bike Master Plan on Thursday, November 4th from 3 pm to 6 pm, and again on Saturday the 6th from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm; volunteers are still needed. Thanks to Steve Montalto for the heads-up.

Also on November 4th, the LACBC hosts a meeting to discuss the 4th Street Bicycle Boulevard Campaign at 7 pm at Halal Tandoori Restaurant, 401 S. Vermont Ave.

See the Events page for more upcoming events.

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Gary Kavanagh has long offered one of the area’s most intelligent and insightful looks at cycling on his blog Gary Rides Bikes. However, the area’s transportation issues go far beyond bicycling alone, so he’s started a new blog called Bay City Urbanist to cover the full spectrum of local transportation. But don’t worry, he promises he’ll keep writing about bikes on the old blog, too. Follow him on Twitter @BayCityUrbanist.

.………

Stephen Box offers a great examination of how local cities are breaking bike laws; must reading for local cyclists. Brayj says the new draft bike plan is the best looking pile of horse shit he’s seen. Streetsblog offers a voter’s guide for Tuesday’s election. Bikeside reports on the first court appearance for Shawn Fields, the alleged drunk hit-and-run driver who killed Danny Marin. Work begins to improve bike signal detection on 4th Street, a first step in creating the long-awaited 4th Street Bike Boulevard. LADOT unveils a new map of recent bike racks. Riding in search of fall color in the mountains of Southern California. KPCC looks at the Los Angeles Sustainability Collaborative and the LACBC’s Alexis Lantz. A woman rides from Chicago to Santa Monica to fight breast cancer. Sophia Vergara rides a bike on the set of Modern Family — complete with elbow and knee pads. Long Beach’s biking expats offer a new 2011 Path Less Pedaled Calendar featuring Russ Roca’s typically breathtaking photography.

Bob Mionske writes about the improvement in Portland cycling following the deaths of two cyclists three years ago. Famed framebuilder Dave Moulton reviews the new book The Custom Road Bike. Turn your bike into a paintbrush. Bicycling’s Bill Strickland asks if we should always wear our helmets? Separated cycle tracks reduce the among of smog cyclists are exposed to, which evidently is a very good thing. Advice on riding around buses, from a bike-riding bus driver. Tausha Borland, the Oklahoma driver who plowed down three cyclists — killing two — in a drunken collision was sentenced to 24 years in prison. A Minneapolis cyclist is killed riding the bike he had just stolen. Advice from Chicago on how to ride in the wind, something that may come in handy here judging by the forecast. New York declares war on salmon cyclists. After her daughter is killed in an NYC dooring incident, a grieving mother calls for bike-safety training for motorists; and yes, even in New York, dooring is against the law. A writer from NYU says it’s just disgruntled motorists and old people who oppose bike lanes in the city. A New York photographer focuses on a backside view of cyclists; I’d probably get arrested for that.

Drug testing at next year’s Tour de France could get a lot more intrusive — that’s if the agencies responsible can stop fighting with each other. Saxo Bank promises to back Alberto Contador even if he’s banned for eating tainted meat doping. A London police officer won’t face charges for killing a teenage cyclist while on an emergency call. A Cambridge bike lane is marked with signs prohibiting cycling. Copenhagen says you’re safer on a bike than on a sofa. Reminiscing about biking along the Berlin Wall. A race proves the fastest way to commute in Warsaw is by bike. A Delhi bike rider barely survives a collision with a Blueline bus, renewing calls for the buses to be put out of business. In Africa, a bike can change a life, or save it.

Finally, I’d like to see an NFL team try to pull off an end zone celebration like this. And in case you missed it, a New York judge rules that a four year old can be sued by the estate of an 87-year old woman who was fatally injured by the child riding her training-wheeled bike on the sidewalk; thanks to everyone who sent this one to me.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Ride with Agoura Hills with Campy & racing legend Andy Hampsten on Tuesday

October 29, 2010 / / One comment

Andy Hampsten during his racing days; photo courtesy of Wikipedia

I’m not easily impressed.

Over the years, I’ve met governors, senators and presidential candidates — including one who went on to spend eight years in the oval office. I’ve met award-wining actors and multi-platinum musicians, superstar athletes and religious leaders.

What I’ve found is that they’re pretty much the same as anyone else. And often — more often than you might think, actually — just as screwed up.

Andy Hampsten impresses the hell out of me.

Maybe it’s because I had the good fortune of living in Colorado during the heyday of the late great Coors Classic, when it attracted the world’s best riders and leading teams, including the legendary 7-11 pro team — the first American pro team to compete at the top level internationally.

And yes, I spent hours standing on the roadside for hours just to watch Greg LeMond, Bernard Hinault, Davis Phinney and Raúl Alcalá ride by for a few seconds.

And right there with them was my personal favorite, a man who competed with world’s best on an equal basis — and often as not, beat them.

Andy Hampsten.

Granted, he never won the Tour de France. He never even won the Coors Classic, though he did finish 2nd twice behind LeMond and Phinney, respectively.

In fact, the same year he finished on slot behind Phinney,he also became the first — and only — American to win the Giro d’Italia.

Then there were his two victories in the Tour de Suisse, along with two other podium finishes. And he ranks with legends such as Fausto Coppi, Hinault, Marco Pantani and Lance Armstrong as one of just 22 riders to claim a stage victory on the Alpe d’Huez in the Tour de France.

He also took time to talk to fans, sign autographs and encourage budding riders when many of the other pros would disappear to their team trailers after a hard stage.

And like many of the greats, he’s stayed active in the bike industry with his own line of custom bikes.

So when I got an email the other day offering me a chance to ride with Andy, I took notice. And as it turns out, you’re invited to join in, as well.

The Agoura Hills outlet of the Bicycle John’s chain — found throughout the Valley and points north — is hosting a free ride with Andy Hampsten on Tuesday, November 2nd starting at 2 pm., and sponsored by Campagnolo and Womencyclist.com.

The event is open to riders off all levels; all you have to do is show up at the store, located at the intersection of Kanan Road and E. Thousand Oaks Blvd, ready to ride and wearing “proper riding attire.”

Which means spandex, I assume.

Better yet, get there by 1 pm and you’ll not only get to ride with Andy, you can also get fitted for a demo bike and try out the Campy Revolution 11 — the new state-of-the art gruppo that goes to 11.

After the ride, you’re invited to stick around or come back later for the store’s Men’s Night from 7 – 9 pm and learn how to make quick fixes on the fly.

If any women riders want to learn how to fix on the fly, you’ll have to take it up with them.

I admit it.

I’m seriously considering blowing off my other obligations, leaving my bike at home and trying out the new Campys with Andy Hampsten.

For more information, call the shop at 818/597-8330.

.………

You’ll also have another chance to ride with Hampsten — as well as former pros Roy Knickman and Steve Hegg — the next day.

Because the real reason he’s in town is to support Andreas Knickman, son of fellow 7-11 rider Roy, in his battle against cancer at the 2nd Annual Mike Nosco Memorial Ride. The ride starts at 9 am on Wednesday, November 3rd, with an 8 am check-in, at 250 Reino Road in Newbury Park.

.………

While we’re on the subject of Agoura Hills, I’ve received advanced notice that the San Fernando Valley Bicycle Club will hold a memorial ride for James Laing on Saturday, November 20th.

As you may recall, Laing was the cyclist killed recently by an alleged drunken hit-and-run driver, leaving devastated friends and family behind — the second such case in recent weeks. And if you’re not pissed off about that, maybe you should be.

More information later when the details are firmed up.

.………

I’m still catching up from a busy work week, so come back late tonight or over the weekend when I’ll have a boatload of links for your perusal, including a contest from Outside Magazine and preview movie passes for a semi-bike related major motion picture.

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

Transportation Committee moves forward with anti-harassment ordinance

October 28, 2010 / / 7 comments

I’m buried with work today.

And I’m damned if I’m going to let an 84 degree sunny SoCal day pass without at least a quick spin down the coast.

But I don’t want to let this morning pass without catching up on yesterday’s news from the City Council Transportation Committee. Because it marked one of those vital quantum leap moments — a seemingly small shift that could result in a dramatic change down the road.

I’ll try to fill you in with more details later, but here’s the key point. After eloquent comments by Ross Hirsch — the attorney for hit-and-run victim Ed Magos — and BAC chair Glenn Bailey, the Transportation Committee voted unanimously to move forward with drafting a first-of-its-kind ordinance to ban harassment of cyclists.

While other cities and states have passed anti-harassment laws, this ordinance would be the first to allow cyclists to file suit themselves for violent or aggressive actions directed towards them, whether it’s committed by drivers, bystanders or even other riders.

As the representative from the City Attorney’s office stressed, it would not prohibit anything that is not already against the law, and it would not prevent criminal prosecution for any incident where there’s sufficient evidence to prosecute.

It would simply, finally, give cyclists the opportunity to protect themselves on the streets of L.A. And possibly prevent the kind of harassment that we’ve all experienced at one time or another.

And mark L.A.’s growth from a bicycling backwater to a world leader in protecting the rights of cyclists.

Yes, it really is that big.

The next test comes on Monday when the proposal will be taken up by the Council’s Public Safety Committee, which has been significantly less friendly to cyclists in the past.

The more riders we can get in that room, the better our chances to keep it moving forward.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,
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