My apologies.
My diabetes got the better of me tonight. We’ll be back tomorrow to catch up on anything we missed.
Diabetes sucks.
Archive for General
High desert man busted for 2nd DUI in 3 months, this is who we share the road with, and lots more ‘Tis the Season
It’s the final week of the 8th Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive!
Just six more days to support this site, and help keep all the best and brightest bike news coming your way every day!
Sadly, though, not one single person donated to the fund drive yesterday; just the second time that’s happened this year.
So let’s all thank Douglas M, Devin D and Steven F for their generous donations on Friday and Saturday to bring you the latest bike news and advocacy every morning.
So don’t wait. Donate today via PayPal or Zelle!
Every contribution, no matter how large or small, is truly and deeply appreciated. And very needed.
Today’s photo: A very sad fund drive spokesdog and chief fundraiser vows to keep staring until you give in and make a donation today.
………
This is why people keep dying on our streets.
A Victorville man was busted for DUI while he was already out on bail for another DUI arrest in October.
This is how the Victorville Daily Press described the arrest.
While speaking with Woodward, the deputy said the suspect was “uncooperative,” and several liquor bottles were seen inside the suspect’s vehicle. The deputy determined that Woodward was driving under the influence of alcohol…
Woodward was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol over .08%, reckless driving, and obstructing a peace officer. He was cited and released on Thursday.
Because of the reckless driving charge, Woodward’s vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
Go back and read that again.
The driver’s vehicle was impounded after his arrest — not because he was driving drunk, but because he was driving recklessly.
After his first drunk driving arrest, they apparently just handed his license back to him, and sent him home to do it again.
And chances are, this was just the first time he got caught again.
So if you’ve ever wondered why people keep dying on our streets, you can start with lawmakers who think it’s too dangerous to let reckless drivers keep their cars, but perfectly okay for drunks to keep driving.
Thanks to Victor Bale for the heads-up.
………
This is who we share the road with.
"Innocent driver killed in crash at end of chase in Westminster involving OC sheriff's deputies"
Why does this keep happening? We need speed governors in all cars. @streetsforall @StreetsblogCal @EntitledCycling @BikeLanesLA @bikinginla https://t.co/sfo5kDOrQQ
— How The West Was Saved (@HowTheWestWS) December 17, 2022
………
‘Tis the season.
A Madera, California Ford Dealership gave away 300 bikes, tricycle and mountain bikes assembled by volunteers earlier this month.
The Butte County, California sheriff’s department is giving away 50 donated or refurbished bikes to local children.
An Albuquerque bike shop teamed with nonprofit group More Butts on Bikes to give away a free balance bike every day this month.
The Texas A&M women’s basketball team held their first ever bike build, assembling 53 bikes for kids in need before their latest game.
An Oklahoma City TV station gave away over 200 bikes to kids, thanks to help from donors and Walmart.
An Ohio nonprofit gave away four truckloads of bikes to kids up to 17 years old; they’ve distributed over 20,000 bikes in the past 17 years.
Over 200 people turned out, many dressed as Santa or other holiday characters, for a 5.5-mile Ohio bike ride to benefit the victim of a dog attack earlier this year.
Continuing our Ohio trifecta, a local church donated 550 new bikes and 600 toys to families in need for the holidays.
A pair of Louisville, Kentucky women worked though the nonprofits they founded to donate bikes to kids who didn’t have one.
A Pennsylvania Toys for Tots program thanked the local community for coming through for them after thieves stole 25 bicycles that were schedule to go to local kids in need; Dick’s Sporting Goods alone donated 25 bicycles to the program.
Former Washington Commanders pro football receiver Charlie Brown gave away more than 100 bicycles to kids in need through his charitable foundation.
A Baton Rouge, Louisiana attorney handed out 430 bikes and helmets to kids in need for the holidays.
Hats off to the owners and employees of a Dublin, Ireland bike shop, who have donated 1,500 bicycles to Ukrainian refugees.
An Aussie couple turned their own living room into a workshop to refurbish eleven bikes for kids in need.
………
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
Italian bicyclists are up in arms after a judge ruled that hate speech directed at them is not a crime, after someone wrote “Hit one cyclist to educate a hundred” in response to a Facebook post. Although that wouldn’t even be a consideration in the US, where the 1st Amendment protects the right to make stupid and hateful comments.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
There’s not a pit in hell deep enough for the bike-riding man who attacked a 63-year old man in New York’s Central Park while shouting antisemitic comments and “Kanye 2024.”
Police in Belfast, Northern Ireland are looking for a pair of killers who rode their bicycles to assassinate two different men just under a year apart; investigators have connected the cases, but are still looking for a motive.
………
………
Local
No news is good news, right?
State
Police in Newport Beach gave in to the cliches, and gave coffee and donuts to the adults to improve community relations, and bike helmets for their kids.
San Jose leads the Silicon Valley in bicycle crashes, injuries and deaths, with 3.5 times as many bike crashes as second place Palo Alto. Then again, it also has almost 15 times the population.
Sad news from Sacramento, where an Ohio man was killed in a collision while riding his bike.
National
Bad news from Oregon, where pedestrian and bike deaths have topped last year with a month to go.
The author of the Seattle Bike Blog has a new book coming out titled Biking Uphill in the Rain: The Story of Seattle from behind the Handlebars, available for preorder for $29.95.
Heartbreaking news from Denver, where a woman battling leukemia lost her husband the same day she received a stem cell transplant, when a hit-and-run driver ran a red light and smashed into him as he rode his bike; a crowdfunding page has raised over $78,000.
A group of Minnesota bike riders aims to prove that people do ride bikes in the snow.
A band of vigilantes is riding and walking around New York, clandestinely fixing license plates intentionally damaged or obscured by their owners to avoid traffic cams and toll scanners.
Frank Sinatra’s namesake Hoboken street is getting a Complete Streets makeover, complete with raised sidewalks and protected bike lanes, although drivers will have to sacrifice 126 parking spaces.
A Virginia man is under arrest for sexually assaulting a 13-year old girl and stealing her bicycle, after the victim managed to take a photo of his truck as he drove away. See pit, deep enough.
That’s still more like it. A New Orleans man had his sentence reduced for the drunk driving crash that killed two people when he plowed into nine bike riders at a 2019 Mardi Gras parade; Tashonty Toney’s sentence was lowered from 91 years to 65 years behind bars after the appellate court rejected the original sentence.
Hats off to Mississippi history teacher Ed Abdella, who rode his bike for 24 straight hours to raise funds for the school’s band program, covering 343 miles in the process.
Ivanka Trump is one of us, as she took her two sons to a Miami bike park.
A Florida sheriff’s deputy dressed as the Grinch and handed out onions to drivers speeding in a school zone. Although speeding tickets would have been more appropriate, but less fun.
International
Three friends from Argentina rode their bikes 6,200 miles through 15 countries in hopes of securing tickets to the World Cup final, won by Argentina in penalty kicks; no word on whether they actually got in.
Canadian Cycling Magazine offers inspiration for when your Christmas Tree has to reflect your passion for bikes.
It’s going to take five months and $400,000 to rip out a popular bike lane through a Vancouver park. Popular with bike riders, anyway; angry drivers, not so much.
Police in the UK are defending the people installing new bike hangers, after conservative politician complained about the approval process.
A British husband and wife team set a new record for biking around the world on a tandem bike, passing through Berlin’s famed Brandenburg Gate — in a blizzard, no less — just 180 days after setting off from the same spot, presumably in better weather. Thanks to Mike Wilkinson for the link, who assures us he and his wife will not be challenging the new record.
In yet another example of authorities keeping a dangerous driver on the streets, an 81-year old English driver walked without a single day behind bars and got to keep his driver’s license, despite hitting a bike rider during a failed pass attempt — then doing it again moments later.
No surprise here, as bike riders in the Netherlands ride their bikes twice as much as Germans do doing the winter.
Famed Italian bikemaker Ernesto Colnago’s greatest bikes will go on display in a permanent museum.
Competitive Cycling
UCI is making sweeping rule changes to World Cup mountain bike racing.
Finally…
That feeling when a stand of cottonwoods explodes next to the bike trail you’re riding. A two-mile bike ride could pay for your next hotel stay.
And someone out there definitely knows how to get my attention.
https://twitter.com/LisaNSanders1/status/1604356361323974663
………
Happy Chanukah to everyone celebrating tonight. Or a happy Hanukkah, if you prefer.
Chag Urim Sameach!
………
Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin, too.
Soto-Martinez calls for new bus and bike lanes in CD13, San Diego op-ed calls bike lanes a rip-off, and drivers behaving badly
Less than 12 days left in the 8th Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive!
Which means time is running out to show your support for SoCal’s best source for all the latest bike news and advocacy, delivered fresh to your favorite screen every morning!
So let’s all thank Nina M and Todd T for their generous donations to ensure the bike news you need is ready and waiting when you need it.
Don’t wait. Donate today via PayPal or Zelle.
Or better yet, stop what you’re doing and donate right now to keep all the bike bike news coming your way every day!
………
You can’t say things aren’t changing in Los Angeles these days.
And Hollywood in particular.
In his first council session after replacing the recently ousted Mitch O’Farrell in LA’s 13th Council District, Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez introduced a motion calling for LADOT to report back with a list of bus lanes, bike infrastructure and pedestrian safety improvements that can be implemented within the next 18 months, as well as calling for placing shelters at every bus stop in the district.
https://twitter.com/streetsforall/status/1602864863667101697
Quite a change from O’Farrell, who spent eight years slow walking most safety projects, if not outright blocking them.
You can ask Soto-Martinez about his plans for the district at this evening’s Streets For All virtual happy hour; RSVP here.
………
No bias here.
A retired university professor suggests that San Diego’s commitment to building bike infrastructure, with a goal of achieving a 10% bike commuting rate, is just another special interest rip-off.
Is this a joke? Or is it a monumental rip-off perpetrated by a very small but clearly well-organized special interest group of biking enthusiasts?
And then there is a safety issue. To date, there seemingly has not been any effort by the city or the state to either educate or enforce the multiple safety issues that are important for a mutual use of roadways by bicycles and automobiles. Few bikes on the road after dark have reflectors or lights; it is very rare to see a bicyclist signal to turn. And bicyclists blow through red lights and stop signs consistently — usually as they fly down one of the hills.
Just wait until he sees how people drive, in their big, smelly, two-ton death-dealing machines as they text on their phones, roll stop sighs and race to the next red light.
Of course, his proof that it’s a rip-off is that he and his husband don’t see bikes in the exact bike lane they’re watching, at the exact moment they’re watching it.
And never mind that the well-funded advocacy groups he complains about are in fact dramatically underfunded nonprofits who have to beg for money to continue their work every year.
It would be of interest to know which consultant arrived at this 10 percent number — and how. Special interest groups are focused, connected, well-organized and funded. My guess is that they were heavily involved in the planning for the pathways. And while clearly their prerogative, their influence seems to have outweighed the broader public good.
In reality, the broader public good includes getting people out of their cars — electric or otherwise — before we succeed in our so far successful efforts to destroy our planet, unless and until the erstwhile world’s richest man manages to find another one to move us all to.
And, of course, he can’t manage to make his case without the stunning revelation that “San Diego is not Copenhagen, Stockholm or Amsterdam.”
No, it isn’t. San Diego has much better weather for much of the year. And none of those cities were bike-friendly until they made the commitment and difficult transition to become that way.
But there is one thing he gets right.
San Diego is hilly, built around numerous canyons and hillsides. Yet I somehow managed to find relatively flat routes to get wherever I was going when I lived down there decades ago.
I doubt it’s gotten any hillier since.
Then there’s the ability of ebikes to flatten that terrain, and let anyone ride up and down them with minimal effort.
And if you’re to believe the local media and panicked seaside city officials, the entire place is already being overrun by ebike-riding social terrorists.
It’s possible that the city’s efforts to increase bicycling rates may fail, with too many people clinging to their steering wheels like Charleston Heston to his guns.
But it’s far too soon to give up, when the city’s bike network is still in its nascent stage. Let alone when its success is the only way the city can meet its climate goals.
So give it time, and keep building bikeways.
The worst thing that will happen is that the city will continue to get safer and more livable.
And maybe someday, someone in Copenhagen or Amsterdam will insist that they’re not San Diego.
………
This is who we share the road with.
Public safety is prevention. We don't owe drivers "the right" to speed in our neighborhoods. This is crazy! @StreetsblogLA @streetsforall @EntitledCycling @BikeLanesLA @schroedinger_ @bikinginla #LosAngeles
Speed Governors in all cars! We are surrounded by too much asphalt! https://t.co/8NLLx3LyLq
— How The West Was Saved (@HowTheWestWS) December 13, 2022
Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, except for the driver of the suspected stolen truck.
And a Laguna Beach hardware store was forced to close when a woman somehow drove her Tesla through the outer wall. Luckily, no one was injured.
………
You only have until the end of this month to offer your input on how to make Redondo Beach Blvd and Ripley Ave safer and more comfortable spaces to bike and walk.
The survey deadline for the @metrolosangeles Active Transportation Plan on Redondo Beach Blvd. has been extended to December 31, 2022. Provide your feedback for a chance to win a free bike or a $200 gift card! Take our survey: https://t.co/J8WpjtZaVg
— South Bay Bicycle Coalition+ (@sbbcplus) December 14, 2022
………
After yesterday’s item about the brief flight of a pedal-powered plane, Steven Hallett reminds us about the Gossamer Albatross, the human-powered plane that successfully crossed the English Channel all the way back in 1979.
………
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
New York building owners are banning ebikes and e-scooters over concerns about battery fires, even though the problem is largely limited to refurbished batteries and mismatched chargers.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
The people have spoken. People commenting here have all said we should stop linking to articles here where bike use is just incidental to some crime, rather than central to the story. So from here on, this section will be reserved for bike riders who fuck up big time. Let’s just make sure it’s not you, k?
Or me, for that matter.
………
………
Local
A Los Angeles actor and producer makes a pilgrimage to the great bicycling meccas of Europe.
In what should be must-see viewing for local and state officials, the new documentary 21 Miles in Malibu examines LA County’s killer highway, calling it one of the deadliest stretches of roadway in California.
State
Caltrans is holding a webinar on Friday to present a progress report on the the Statewide Bike and Pedestrian Plan, with public comment extended to January 13th. Yes, Friday the 13th.
Streetsblog examines the worthy active transportation projects that didn’t get funded by the California Transportation Commission under a one-time, $1 billion state funding boost, demonstrating just how much demand there is for better bike and walking infrastructure.
‘Tis the season. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office held their annual Christmas Bike Giveaway for the 33rd straight year, donating 300 bicycles refurbished by county jail inmates to kids in need.
San Francisco Streetsblog checks the progress on the new curb-protected bike lanes on Oakland’s iconic Telegraph Ave.
National
A writer for Planetizen argues active transportation and micromobility can do far more to provide cost-effective cuts in emissions than most current emission reduction plans. Meanwhile, Government Technology suggests micromobility has rebounded from its pandemic-induced downturn.
A Streetsblog podcast talks with historian and author Peter Norton about the history of roadside memorials to the victims of traffic violence.
Bike Portland reports the city is working with the FHA to build several advisory lanes, where bike riders get a lane on both sides, and drivers share a single center lane.
Kindhearted Texas cops worked with a nonprofit group to give a boy with special needs a new bike after his was stolen. Don’t get me started on what kind of schmuck would steal a bike from a special needs kid, though.
More on the Michigan bike shop owner killed in a Florida collision while delivering bikes to children affected by Hurricane Ian; 57-year old Steven Pringle was a grandfather and Army vet who founded a nonprofit providing “bicycle therapy” to veterans by repairing bikes to give to children in need.
The bike lanes on New York’s Roosevelt Island Bridge got a new weather-resistant surface, replacing the metal grate that was prone to causing tire punctures.
New York building owners are banning ebike and e-scooters over fears of battery fires.
International
CityLab sees a big opportunity in tiny electric minicars.
Quebec rules that a bike rider who was grazed, but not hit, by a passing motorist is entitled to compensation for her injuries. Although someone should tell them that getting “grazed” is getting hit. And so is getting sucked in or blown off the road by a passing vehicle.
A London micromobiity company is placing a cognitive function test within their app, which will require ebike and e-scooter users to prove they’re not intoxicated before they’re allowed to rent one. So why can’t we do the same thing for motorists?
Portugal is the first country to reduce the value-added tax, or VAT, on bicycles in an effort to encourage increased ridership.
A Norwegian student praises the kindness of people in India’s Uttar Pradesh province, after thieves stole his phone, credit card, ID and other documents while on an around the world bike tour.
Bizarre story from Australia, where a young woman pled guilty to manslaughter in the death of a 7-foot tall man who was last scene riding his bike, after arguing that she only thought her boyfriend and another man were going to “kick the shit out of him,” not kill him.
Competitive Cycling
Colombian cyclist Miguel Ángel López was unceremoniously fired from his Astana-Qazaqstan cycling team, after the team found “probable” connections to a Spanish doctor being investigated for suspected drug trafficking and money laundering. But the era of doping is over, right? Or did they just get better at hiding it?
A Burbank website profiles a 16-year old mountain biker who competes in competitions throughout the US.
Finally…
Your bike could soon tell you when it needs new shoes. Why reinvent the wheel when you can just build a better kickstand?
And that feeling when bikes get squeezed out by pickleball.
I swear, I don't offer this anecdote with any cynicism—just noting out loud that the most established premium bike-shop chain in Los Angeles is about to start dedicating 20% of its floor space for Pickleball equipment.
— Peter Flax (@Pflax1) December 14, 2022
………
Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin, too.
LA ignores Park to approve $1.6 million Westside bike project, Streetsblog raises funds, and what LAX could be
It’s Day 6 of the 8th Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive!
Your support allows me to keep this site going full-time, albeit at far less than full-time wages. And keeps my wife from insisting I go out and get a “real” job.
So take a moment and donate now via PayPal or Zelle to keep SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.
And while we’re at it, let’s thank Stephen T, Lionel M and Sun Y for yesterday’s generous donations on Giving Tuesday.
Seriously, don’t make our intern and chief fundraiser howl. Give now!
………
The Los Angeles City Council approved $5.1 million for Westside transportation projects requested by outgoing Councilmember Mike Bonin, including $1.6 million for construction of the Rose Avenue Pathway and Protected Bike Lane Project.
The council voted to fund the projects over the objections of newly elected Councilmember Traci Park, who asked them to hold off until she takes office in two weeks.
Which could be read as a collective eff you to Parks. A final pat on the back to Bonin. Or simply approving projects that had already been in the pipeline.
Or maybe all of the above.
………
Streetsblog needs your help. And your money.
The nonprofit transportation news site kicked off their annual fund drive, hoping to raise $25,000 by the end of this year.
They currently stand at just 4% of that goal.
………
So how about it, LADOT?
Would be nice to have this at @flyLAXairport @streetsforall @bikinginla @schneider It would be especially good if access came from all sides, grade separated from cars, and could allow me to bike THROUGH LAX without taking a miles long detour to the beach https://t.co/7BW2OyLqLv
— Dr Grace Peng (@gspeng) November 29, 2022
………
Gravel Bike California celebrates an endless gravel summer.
Riding above the ocean in Orange County with Thank Gravel It's Friday's Endless Summer 2.0 Ride@bikinginla @OCbike https://t.co/YvhijielvE
— Gravel Bike California (@GravelBikeCal) November 29, 2022
………
Give the bike rider in your life a little extra warmth this winter.
And yes, I’d be happy to find this under my tree, if anyone has me on their Secret Santa list.
There’s a version for transit fans, too.
………
Stunt-bike master Danny MacAskill’s latest video shows him take on the streets of San Francisco.
And win.
………
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
No bias here. Winnipeg bike riders ignored city officials who threatened to fine them for the crime of shoveling snow from bike lanes, after the city failed to do it.
A road raging London, Ontario driver intentionally attempted to run over an 18-year old bike rider when the teen tried to take a photo of the driver’s license plate, after going berserk when the kid rode around his car when he failed to move from a stop sign.
No bias here, either. A Bristol, England city counselor called bike riders the biggest threat to pedestrians, while accusing a local advocacy group of being arrogant and dismissive. Maybe someone should tell him about cars, and the entitled people who drive them.
A sadistic Irish driver recorded himself deliberately ramming a bike rider, apparently just for the hell of it; the victim was lucky to escape with non-life threatening injuries.
https://twitter.com/Curious_Eire/status/1597222384255537152
And Road.cc offers a lengthy list of stupid driver tricks and comments in today’s post.
Sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
An English driver was justifiably outraged at a salmon cyclist riding against traffic on a busy highway after dark, without lights or reflectors. Although if I was out after dark without lights, I suppose I might want to see the cars coming rather than trust that they’d see me.
……..
………
Local
Beverly Press has more on the newly approved plans for protected bike lanes on Fountain Ave through West Hollywood.
Pasadena police are planning a crackdown on traffic violations that endanger bike riders and pedestrians this Friday, along with added patrols to combat DUI driving. So once again, ride to the letter of the law until you cross the city limits, so you’re not the one who gets ticketed.
State
Police in Ojai are looking for witnesses after a boy was struck by hit-and-run driver earlier this month; police somehow say the crash doesn’t appear to be intentional, even though the driver hit the victim a second time as he sped away (scroll down).
San Francisco drivers are ignoring an ostensibly protected bike lane, transforming it into free parking to support their bagel habit.
That’s more like it. San Francisco advocates plan to present a People’s Slow Streets Plan to dramatically transform 100 miles of city streets.
Oakland plans to take advantage of a new state law allowing it to reduce speed limits in major business districts to improve safety.
Tragic news from Rancho Cordova, where police are looking for a 42-year old man who brutally attacked a 60-year old ebike rider with a machete. The victim continued riding roughly 400 feet before he collapsed from his wounds, which police say are not survivable.
National
Bicycling marks yesterday’s Giving Tuesday by calling for donating unloved bicycles to a local bike drive for the holidays. As usual, read it on Yahoo if the magazine blocks you.
This is why people keep dying on our streets. A 70-year old Boulder, Colorado man faces a whole one year behind bars after accepting a plea deal for killing a man riding a bicycle in a left-cross crash last year.
A pair of Chicago writers take an in-depth look at life and death along the city’s most dangerous bike lane.
The Michigan driver who killed two people when she plowed into a group of bike riders participating in a Make-A-Wish fundraising ride was formally arraigned on 15 charges, including 2nd degree murder and DUI.
A Cleveland man was sentenced to a minimum of five years behind bars for the hit-and-run death of a little three-year old girl as she rode her bike last summer; he faces a max of seven and a half years. Which still doesn’t seem like enough.
They get it. A Buffalo NY newspaper says no one should face injury or death just for walking down the street or riding a bicycle.
An NYPD precinct captain defended his officers arrest of a famed New York bike lawyer for the crime of removing an illegal piece of plastic blocking a driver’s license plate from traffic cams and license readers.
Officials in New Jersey backed off promises to include protected bike lanes in a redesign of a major street, presenting a plan that preserved parking spaces instead.
A former US diplomat in Ukraine says his wife and fellow diplomat Sarah Langenkamp loved bicycling, and shouldn’t have had to pay for it with her life after returning to DC.
International
Vancouver plans to rip out a pandemic-era bike lane through a park, and replace the previous traffic lanes and streetside parking before Christmas. Because apparently bike riders don’t celebrate the holidays. Or ride during them, or something.
Former Canadian national champ and current Toronto bike shop owner Eon D’Ornellas was hospitalized with a broken pelvis after he was struck by a driver in Florida.
Copenhagen is responding to citizen complaints by putting more cops on bicycles to patrol bike lanes, after a recent report showed a third of young Danes ride drunk. Although why the story is illustrated with a photo from the Tour de France defies explanation.
More Dutch families are turning to bike banks that provide refurbished bicycles to ensure their kids grow up with bikes in a country where it’s a virtual necessity.
Swedish EV maker Polestar is jumping into the ebike market, becoming just the latest carmaker to assume they can make ebikes better than bikemakers do.
An Indian startup is designing new and better ebikes in an effort to become the two-wheeled Tesla of Hyderabad.
Greenpeace calls for bike-friendly infrastructure in Delhi, in the wake of a rising rate of bicycle fatalities.
An ebike rider in the Philippines was killed when he was sucker punched by a man, who was believed to suffer from mental illness.
Competitive Cycling
Slovenian classics specialist Matej Mohorič plans to take on the legendary Hell of the North after winning this year’s Milan-San Remo.
Finally…
Forget ebikes — your next bike could be hydrogen powered. Your favorite toddler could have his or her very own e-balance bike.
And that feeling when you’re too young to ride to Guatemala to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a priest’s 3,000 mile walk, so you just ride your bike around your home a lot.
………
Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin, too.
Keep the best bike news and advocacy coming your way every day! Give today!
Skip all the begging, pleading and groveling, and donate now via PayPal, or with Zelle to ted @ bikinginla.com.
Maybe you didn’t notice there’s no paywall here.
No subscription fee.
Not even a beg button asking for your hard-earned money.
Although maybe there should be.
Nothing to prevent you, or anyone else, from coming here as often as you want. Or keep you from sharing the information you find here with anyone you want.
That’s partly philosophical. I believe information wants to be free.
But more importantly, I think the information we present here is important, and needs to get out to as many people as possible.
And by we, I mean me and my corgi intern and chief fundraiser. And everyone who sends links and information to share with the rest of us.
And that’s where you come in.
Because while this site is free, creating it isn’t.
Our advertisers over there on the right cover about half the annual costs to keep this site up and running, and allow me to focus all my efforts on bringing you all the freshest bike news from around the world, and around the corner.
Along with ongoing advocacy efforts to make our streets more comfortable and inviting for everyone, and help keep you safe on the road.
But the simple fact is, I rely on you to make up that shortfall. Even though asking for money doesn’t come easy for me.
In most cases, I’d rather go without or find a way to scrape by rather than ask for help. I know we’re all struggling now, and you have problems of your own.
So this is the one time of year when I ask for your help.
Okay, beg.
The money you give now is what will keep me going for the coming year, and keep all the best news and advocacy flowing your way.
Not to mention keep that fuzzy intern in kibble.
I truly value and appreciate any help you can give, no matter how large or small. Because I know all too well how hard it is to give when you just don’t have it, and want to help anyway.
So just take a moment, and ask yourself what this site is worth to you.
Then give what you can. And don’t sweat if you can’t.
You don’t want to see me grovel.
Donate now via PayPal, or with Zelle to ted @ bikinginla.com.
Move along, nothing to see here
My apologies.
I underwent a minor medical procedure yesterday, and didn’t bounce back as well as I hoped. Then again, as my doctors have made clear, there are no minor medical procedures when your diabetic.
The bad news is, the procedure didn’t work, so I’ll have to go through it again today.
Hopefully things will go a little better, and we’ll be back again to catch up on anything we missed today.
Category: General /
No morning links today
The good news is my eye infection has cleared up.
The bad news is, I’m still sick as a dog.
I was hoping to be fully back at work today, but it turns out the eye infection was just a symptom, rather than the illness. There’s something else going on that’s kept me flat on my back for the past week, and doesn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon.
Hopefully something will break, and we’ll be back with our usual Morning Links soon.
Category: General /
Move along, nothing to see here — eye infection edition
As I said the other day, if it’s not one damn thing, it’s another.
My blood sugar levels are still unacceptably high. And now you can add an eye infection that’s made my right eye virtually useless the past couple days, and makes it almost impossible to use for more than couple minutes at a time.
Hopefully, the antibiotics will kick in soon, and we’ll be back in a day or two.
Although the way things have gone lately, I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Category: General /
O’Farrell moves forward with Sunset4All, Los Alamitos Councilmember dies riding bike, and bike lanes coming to 3rd Street
That sudden chill you feel is hell freezing over.
Surprisingly, CD13 Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell has taken up support for the Sunset4All Complete Streets makeover of Sunset Boulevard through Echo Park, Silver Lake and East Hollywood.
According to Urbanize Los Angeles,
In a motion introduced on September 14, 13th District Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell requests a report back from the Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Engineering, the Bureau of Street Services, and the City Administrative Officer on recommendations for implementing the scope of improvements proposed in the Sunset4All plan, including a budget, funding opportunities, and a timeline for delivery.
The proposed concept, according to O’Farrell’s motion, would serve an area that is home to more than 100,000 residents, and impact corridors which have been recognized as part of the City’s High Injury Network. The overall project area includes the stretch of Sunset between Fountain Avenue and Dodger Stadium, as well as Santa Monica Boulevard between the Vermont/Santa Monica subway station and Sunset Junction. The Sunset4All plan proposes to restripe the existing right-of-way, adding up to:
- 3.2 miles of protected bike lanes;
- enhanced crosswalks and bus stops;
- new safe routes to schools; and
- several pocket parks.
Although the strength of O’Farrell’s support is up for debate.
It’s possible that his sudden support stems from his uphill battle for re-election against challenger Hugo Soto-Martinez, who had a nine point lead over O’Farrell in the primary election.
Let’s hope he’s had a late career Damascus moment, and now realizes the error of his ways after cancelling the shovel-ready Temple Street road diet five years ago, as well as other bike projects in the district.
And that his support will last past the November election.
Assuming he wins, of course, which is questionable at this point.
Today’s image is a rendering of the Sunset4All project through the Sunset Junction district.
………
Longtime Los Alamitos City Council member Ronald R. “Ron” Bates died unexpectedly of an apparent medical emergency on September 6th while on a bike ride with friends.
Bates was 76-years old, and survived by his wife, two daughters and two grandchildren.
………
A half mile of parking protected bike lanes are coming to 3rd Street in DTLA.
3rd Street bike lanes like a good project – for bikeway network connections downtown. Overall it's a half-mile – with about half of that new protected bike lane, and half upgrading an existing unprotected bike lane https://t.co/5NkxOsyWLu
— StreetsblogLA (@StreetsblogLA) September 15, 2022
………
Before we go any further, let’s pause for a moment to thank Oceanside bike attorney Richard Duquette for renewing his sponsorship of this site for another year.
His support, and that of our other sponsors over there on the right, help keep this site going.
But more importantly, I can personally vouch for Duquette, and our other sponsors, if you ever need someone to fight for you after a crash or some other incident.
I would trust any one of them to handle my own case if someone ran me down on the streets. Which is the best reference I can give.
………
Speaking of Duquette, he’s offering a sponsorship for next year for people and nonprofits engaged in bicycling and triathlons.
Here’s what he had to say.
Only a few more days to apply 2023 sponsorship. My law firm will sponsor the best partners, and the best people who come together to support and encourage bicycling & triathlon around the U.S.
If you are considering racing in 2023, like fun in these sports, then we encourage you to apply. Applications close on October 1st 2022. Tell us how YOU or your NON PROFIT 501(C)(3)(4) genuinely plan to improve the world (ESPECIALLY SAN DIEGO & SO CAL) by or through the sports of Bicycling & Triathlon. Send us your contact information!
If you are a nonprofit in good standing we want to help you! Below is a link to one of 3 links (with podcasts) that discuss “Corporate culture: Law & Ethics of Non Profits” in CA.(Subjects include conflicts of interest, self dealing, fiduciary duties of directors/officers and more.)
https://www.911law.com/blog/2017/may/corporate-culture-and-bicyclists-part-2-of-3-non/
………
CNBC examines the seemingly endless size creep in motor vehicles, as they continue to get more dangerous to anyone unfortunate enough to be outside one.
We all know Americans love big vehicles. But there are other factors at work too that contribute to the neverending size creep we have seen in vehicles over the last few decades. I talked to @CNBC in this video piece about this automotive phenomenon. https://t.co/vaOSxjc2y8
— Ed Kim (@ekimap) September 13, 2022
………
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
New Orleans City Council voted unanimously to rip out protected bike lanes in the underserved Algiers neighborhood, after residents complained about the removal of traffic lanes and parking spaces. Once again choosing convenience over human lives and equity. And making the city fully liable for anyone who gets hurt there afterwards.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
Horrifying story from the UK, where a 29-year old man was sentenced to 16 months behind bars for physically attacking a disabled driver, who had the temerity to honk at him as he rode his bicycle; he ripped out the driver’s tracheotomy tube after the driver got out of his car, then knocked off his glasses and hearing aid, kicking the latter down the road. He also jumped on the car’s hood and stomped the windshield when the driver got back in his car and drove at him. Yes, the driver was in the wrong, too. But seriously, there’s no excuse for physical violence, especially against someone with an obvious disability.
………
Local
Streets For All founder Michael Schneider says switching to electric cars isn’t enough; it’s time to think bigger by encouraging more ebike use.
LA Laker’s legend Kobe Bryant was one of us, taking Team USA on early morning 40-mile bike rides through the desert to motivate them, before returning to the gym to practice at 7:30 am.
The LAPD is hosting the 2nd Annual Val Martinez Memorial Bike Ride on September 24th; the 25-mile ride will raise funds for the Martinez’ twin sons, who were born after he died of Covid.
Pasadena adopted a Roadside Memorial Sign Program to honor the victims of traffic violence.
Palmdale introduced four street projects, including pedestrian and bicycle improvements intended to revitalize the downtown civic center area.
State
Only In Your State recommends riding or walking the Old Sea World Drive Bay Trail in San Diego to get from the bay to the beach and back.
San Diego is jumpstarting the ebike revolution with a $10 million loan-to-own ebike program for people making below $49,000 a year.
National
A traffic tech site makes the case for why jaywalking laws should be abolished. Someone send the article to Governor Newsom, who has a nasty habit of vetoing traffic reforms that make sense, like this one.
Proponents are still fighting for an ebike rebate in the halls of Congress, after a proposed rebate ended up on the cutting room floor when the Inflation Reduction Act was passed.
CNN talks with bicycling activist Marley Blonsky, the Seattle-based co-founder of All Bodies on Bikes and a trailblazer of the body-size inclusion movement.
New Mexico sheriff’s officials consider bringing fraud charges against framebuilder Dillen Maurer, who raised $18,000 through a crowdfunding page after saying he lost a foot in a collision with an ATV rider while riding his bike near his Taos home; investigators claim he cut his own foot off in a chainsaw accident.
No excuse. A Denver man was seriously injured when he was run down by a hit-and-run driver while riding his bike, just one month and a few miles away from where his friend was killed by another driver, who also fled the scene.
A Kansas City woman practices radical forgiveness for the alleged stoned and distracted hit-and-run driver who killed her husband, a teacher and father of ten children, as he rode his bike.
Once again, transportation officials wait until someone dies to make needed safety improvements, as Kentucky officials approve plans for protected bike lanes on the oddly named Licking Valley Girl Scout Bridge, where a woman was killed in a collision while riding her bike earlier this month.
Country singer Vince Gill says his wife, Christian singer Amy Grant, is doing great, despite being confined to their Tennessee home after falling off her bike in July.
International
In news that shouldn’t surprise anyone, ebike riders tend to go further, and rid more often, than other bike riders.
Interesting Engineering picks the seven-best ebike conversion kits, while Cycling Weekly reviews the new and improved Swytch ebike conversion.
This Saturday is World Cleanup Day, which is a perfect opportunity to do some good on your bike.
The annual Fancy Women Bike Ride rolls this Sunday; the women-only ride was born in Turkey in 2013, and quickly spread around the world. Surprisingly, however, there don’t appear to be any fancy women planning rides anywhere in Southern California.
New Zealand’s Stuff website examines what’s stopping Christchurch residents from riding their bikes. Which is the same problems we face in Los Angeles, and just about everywhere else.
Competitive Cycling
Julian Alaphilippe is back from the injuries he suffered during April’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege, as well as a bout of Covid, and ready to defend his two-time World Championship in Australia.
British pro Alex Dowsett is staring down retirement in his last few months as a pro cyclist
Finally…
To be honest, we’ve all been there. Now you, too, can have a 3D-printed bike helmet custom tailored to the contours of your own head.
And forget helicabs. Now you can have your very own flying hoverbike, for the low, low price of just $777,000.
This is the world's first flying bike. The XTURISMO hoverbike is capable of flying for 40 minutes and can reach speeds of up to 62 mph pic.twitter.com/ZPZSHJsmZm
— Reuters (@Reuters) September 16, 2022
………
Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin, too.
Category: General / Tags: Complete Streets, DTLA, Los Alamitos, Mitch O'Farrell, protected bike lanes, Richard Duquette, Ronald R. “Ron” Bates, Sunset Blvd, Sunset For All
