Archive for General

Person riding bike killed in a possible South LA hit-and-run Sunday night; few details available

Once again, a bike rider may have been killed in a hit-and-run.

And once again, we know almost nothing.

KTLA-5 reported late last night that someone riding a bicycle appeared to have been struck by a driver at South Central and East Florence Avenues in South LA around 8 pm Sunday.

The victim, described only as a possible minor, died at the scene. The station reports a bicycle was lying on the sidewalk afterwards, next to a tent in the street covering the victim’s body.

Unfortunately, that’s about all we know.

There’s no word on how he may have been killed, or any description of a possible suspect.

Assuming this was a hit-and-run, there is a standing $50,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the driver for any hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles.

This is at least the 19th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eighth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; four of those have been in the City of Los Angeles.

It’s also the eighth fatal hit-and-run involving a SoCal bike rider this year.

Move along, nothing to see here — diabetes edition

I give up.

After struggling, and failing, to control my blood sugar this week, I’m throwing in the towel.

If by struggling you mean feeling sick 24/7, and passing out every night and most of each day.

And to be honest, I’m not in the best space mentally or emotionally right now.

So I’m giving up on posting this week. Hopefully a few more days rest will help turn things around.

One way or the other, I’ll be back next week to bring you all the best bike news, and catch up on some of the things we’ve missed.

And I’ll be seeing my doctor next week, who’s going to get an earful.

Culver City to bike and bus riders: drop dead — CC council votes to rip out MOVE Culver City Complete Streets project

Today’s Morning Links have been cancelled in favor of an unbridled rant regarding the sheer recalcitrant idiocy demonstrated by the Culver City Council Tuesday night. 

Or make that early Wednesday morning, since treachery usually occurs in the early morning hours, long after most people with any common sense have gone to bed.

Which leaves out three-fifths of Culver City’s elected leadership.

We’ll be back tomorrow with our regularly scheduled programming.

………

It really shouldn’t surprise anyone.

As expected, the newly conservative Culver City Council voted to gut the MOVE Culver City project.

The highly successful Complete Streets project received overwhelming public support going late into the night at Tuesday’s council session.

Yet they still voted 3 to 2 to remove the protected bike lanes in favor of a shared bus and bike lane, in order to add another traffic lane so more drivers can go zoom, zoom to their hearts content.

At least that’s the theory.

In reality, it’s likely to result in more congestion, as the added lane will just encourage more drivers to clog the city’s downtown area, with the added noise, smog and safety risks they’ll bring with them.

It will also mean reduced bike traffic, as fewer riders will be willing to use the newly shared bus and bike lanes, with the risk of an inattentive or impatient bus driver running up their ass.

Then again, that appears to be purely intentional.

https://twitter.com/BikeCulverCity/status/1651055143616643076

And it means slower bus traffic, as buses will now have to follow behind people on bicycles, making it a less attractive transportation option and resulting reduced ridership.

Never mind this logical disconnect.

https://twitter.com/wiscottcurtis/status/1650779709238841347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1650779709238841347%7Ctwgr%5E52547c9f1d257dba9e318fb7c7de7e4a9aad5b6e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxla.com%2Fnews%2Fculver-city-council-votes-eliminate-protected-bike-bus-lanes

Call it a lose/lose/lose.

Because the city is giving a big FU to anyone not safely ensconced in a couple tons of dangerous, polluting glass and steel.

And you can add another lose to that, since the move to rip out the project will inevitably result in a CEQA violation unless the city manages to conduct an environmental impact study that somehow miraculously shows little or no environmental damage from the project’s removal.

Sure, that will happen.

In reality, the city will likely try to rip out the bike lanes without conducting the required study, resulting in a CEQA lawsuit, followed by a likely court judgement requiring them to put them back.

Making the entire effort a performative exercise designed to placate the angry conservative voters who elected the new reactionary councilmembers.

While everyone else who lives, works or moves through the city just gets shafted.

Pitiful.

Needless to say, the condemnation following the vote was fast and furious.

https://twitter.com/SunriseMvmtLA/status/1650909387144429568

Update: Man riding bicycle killed by hit-and-run driver in Pomona; 6th SoCal bicyclist killed by hit-and-run drivers this year

Once again, someone riding a bicycle was murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

This time in Pomona.

According to KTLA-5, the victim was trying to cross East End Avenue at Mission Blvd when he was run down by a passing motorist shortly after 5:30 this morning.

The victim, identified only as a man who appeared to be in his 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver fled the scene, apparently without stopping.

There’s no word on whether the victim had lights on his bike in the early morning darkness. Then again, there’s no word on whether the driver was using his.

The fact that the victim was riding his bike in this weather suggests he had no other option, possibly just trying to get to work in the rain.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Pomona Police Department at 909/802-7741 or 909/620-2048.

This is at least the 14th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.

Six of those SoCal deaths have been hit-and-runs.

Sadly, the overwhelming majority of hit-and-run drivers get away with it. But in the unlikely event they do catch the driver, California’s lenient hit-and-run laws mean they will likely face just four years behind bars, at most.

Even then, prosecutors usually bargain down from that low level in order to get a guilty plea.

Which means most drivers just get a slap on the wrist for making the conscious decision to flee the scene, and leave an innocent victim to die alone in the street.

If they get caught. Which is a big if.

Update: The victim has been identified as 71-year old Pomona resident J. Guadalupe Perez-Nunez

My deepest sympathy and prayers for J. Guadalupe Perez-Nunez and his loved ones.

Thanks to Johnson Attorneys Group for the heads-up

Today’s post called on account of illness

My apologies.

My wife was kind enough to share the illness she picked up at work with me over the weekend. I was hoping I’d be able to rally for today’s post, but writing about yesterday’s bicycling death in Palm Springs was all I can manage tonight.

I should be back tomorrow to catch up on anything we missed.

Move along, nothing to see here — corgi edition

My apologies.

My work on today’s post was interrupted when our corgi became ill last night, and I ended up sitting up and holding her almost all night.

So no new post today, but we’ll be back on Monday to catch up on anything we missed.

Stay safe out there. And show your loved ones a little extra this weekend, whether they have two feet or four.

Today’s post called on account of pain

My apologies.

I’m continuing to have problems with my diabetes as I get used to being on insulin before my doctor adjusts the dosage.

Tonight that meant a blood sugar spike that knocked me out most of the night, accompanied by a neuropathy flareup that’s kept me in pain when I’m not passed out.

Fun times.

So I’m throwing in the towel, and giving up on today’s post. I’ll do my best to be back bright and early Thursday to catch up on what we missed.

Move along, nothing to see here — exploding head edition

My apologies.

My head feels like it’s going to explode, if it hasn’t already.

So we’ll be back tomorrow to catch up on anything we missed, assuming I still have a head to work with.

Move along, nothing to see here

My apologies.

My diabetes got the better of me tonight. We’ll be back tomorrow to catch up on anything we missed.

Diabetes sucks.

Thank you for another great year — and see you in 2023!