Archive for General

Catching up — UCLA’s new Bike Library, photos from the Agoura Road crash site, lots of links

October 26, 2010 / / 8 comments

Click to enlarge

While L.A. and other local cities are talking about bike share programs, UCLA is actually doing something about it through an innovative Bike Library program.

Rather than the typical short term rental programs found in a typical bike share, students can rent a bike on a daily, weekend or weekly basis — or for an entire quarter.

UCLA Transportation and UCLA Recreation, through funding provided for by The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF), recently launched a campus bicycle library. The UCLA Bike Library provides bicycles for rent to UCLA students for only $35 for the entire quarter. The bicycle rentals are available through the UCLA Bike Shop, located in the John Wooden Center’s Office of Outdoor Adventures. The bicycles available for rent are Felt Café Series hybrid city-style, 8-speed cruisers, which come equipped with front and rear fenders, front and rear lights, a rear rack, and even a cup holder mounted on the handlebar. Students also have the option of renting a combination cable and u-lock, and a helmet to go along with their bicycle.

At $35 a quarter, the Bike Library may be the last affordable aspect of a UC education. And one of the smartest.

Speaking of UCLA, UCLA Transportation’s short film Bike-U-Mentary was named Best Short Film at the Los Angeles Film and Script Festival.

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The Daily News talks to the wife of James Laing, the cyclist killed by an alleged drunk hit-and-run driver in Agoura Hills on Saturday; don’t read it if you don’t want to wipe away a tear when you’re finished.

Former LACBC board member Chris Willig sends along photos of the spot on Agoura Hills where Laing was killed. Clearly, the roadway was not a contributing factor, although a better design would place the bike lane along the curb with a wide buffer between it and the traffic lane.

He also notes the presence of a wine tasting club in the area as a possible explanation for why the driver may have been drunk behind the wheel at 3:45 in the afternoon.

A view of Agoura Road where James Laing was killed on Saturday.

Chalk marks faded by recent rains show the scene of the collision.

On a related subject, Chris reports that the cyclist in the previous Agoura Hills collision at Cornell Road and Mulholland Highway was injured, rather than killed. I had been told by a back-channel source with access to police reports that still-unidentified rider had died several days after the collision; I’ll reach out to the authorities once again to try and get the accurate information.

Nothing would make me happier than to know I was wrong about something like that.

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I had to leave early, but by all reports, Tour de Fat was a huge hit and I had fun while I was there. I got some good photos, but an usually busy week has kept me from putting them online yet. In the meantime, Ohai Joe has some great videos of the event to keep you entertained — and for those of you who didn’t go, let you know what you missed so you won’t make the same mistake next year.

And Madeline Brozen notes that the entire event ran on solar power and resulted in only eight pounds of trash, while raising $13,000 for LACBC, C.I.C.L.E. and Bicycle Kitchen.

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The father of Rabobank rider Robert Gesink died Saturday, two weeks after crashing in a mountain bike race. BMX cyclist and MTV host TJ Lavin is showing signs of improvement after being critically injured as a result of missing a landing. Lance isn’t quite done racing yet. Just one month after having a baby, Olympic gold medalist Kristin “No Relation to Lance” Armstrong announces her comeback.

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Stephen Box looks at the planned Hollywood Bike Hub nearing approval from the Metro Board. West Hollywood may be on the verge of becoming more walkable and bikeable. Damien Newton reminds the press that “crash” and “accident” are not interchangeable; I try to avoid using “accident” on here since so few of them actually are. The architecture critic for the Times calls for a better-connected L.A., from better bike lanes and sidewalks to buses and subways. Claremont Cyclist offers a meditation on the biking derriere. LADOT Bike Blog looks at the traffic diverters that make a Bicycle Friendly Street bike friendly. An OC bike advocate says every issue in bike safety has already been solved; you just have to match the problems to the solutions in recent bike plans from Portland and, yes, Los Angeles.

Tucson forms a new Living Streets group. Arizona’s biking congresswoman doesn’t hesitate to yell at drivers. Why is it that no one ever says we won’t build any more highways if some drivers refuse to obey the speed limit — or that there are too many cars driven by out-of-control motorists? Three questions to ask your congressional candidates before you cast your vote. Slap a $5 sticker on your helmet, and get a discount at participating businesses. Advice on winter riding for those in more cold-weather climes. A Chicago cyclist is doored and run over by a bus, but will survive; needless to say, the driver who doored him left the scene. The NYC cyclist killed in a dooring last week had moved to the city to help the disadvantaged. A New York limo driver comes to the rescue of an L.A. tourist attacked by a cyclist with a long rap sheet. Yes, there are scofflaws in New York bike lanes, and no, they’re not the cyclists; thanks to Stanley for the heads up. Charleston police search for a hit-and-run driver who hit a pedestrian riding a bicycle; is it just me, or is there something wrong with that description?

Campagnolo unveils a new electronic gruppo. Toronto cyclists have to live with a new bike-hating mayor who said it’s your own fault if you get killed. The Guardian looks at the Bike Snob’s guide to cycling tribes. Town Mouse gives London’s Boris Bikes a go. Cyclists may have a persecution complex, but we really could use segregated bikeways. The 2011 Giro will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy. A year in jail and no driving for three years after a road raging motorist viscously beats a cyclist who flipped him off. An Indonesian cycling group calls for bike lanes in every city throughout the country and life insurance for cyclists.

Finally, you don’t have to know the language to get this bloody cartoon about bike helmets. But if you really want to know, Copenhagenize is happy to translate it for you.

And thank goodness we don’t have to worry about Trek’s advanced technology falling into the hands of terrorists.

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Hot bike alert: Orange Salsa Las Cruces stolen in Santa Monica Monday night

October 25, 2010 / / One comment

Just got word from a friend and fellow LACBC board member that his bike was stolen tonight in Santa Monica:

My Salsa Las Cruces was stolen this evening in Santa Monica, at some point between 8:00pm and 10pm. It was parked & locked on the south side of the street between 6th and 5th streets.

Description: Orange Salsa Las Cruces cyclocross frame. 105 Drivetrain, XTR long cage rear dérailleur, Avid Shorty 4 brakes, Leo wheels. The wheels were locked using the Pitlock system, so the thieves will have a hard time removing the wheels at all. The bolt on the seat was also stripped & split, so it is impossible to remove the seat. If they didn’t cut the heavy-ass German Abus chain & lock on it, the bike is also unridable.

If you see it, contact the Santa Monica police department at 310/458-8491.

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Breaking news: One dead in Boyle Heights school bus collision; victim may have been a cyclist

October 25, 2010 / / 2 comments

Approximately 3:22 this evening, a BMW reportedly ran a red light at the intersection of Soto Street at 1st, and collided with a school bus. There is one dead at the scene; KABC-7 reports that he or she was either a pedestrian or riding a bicycle. There were injuries on the bus, but none are reported to be life threatening.

The occupants of the car fled the scene on foot, but were apprehended by a nearby construction worker.

Update: Despite a statement from a witness that the person killed had been riding a bicycle, it appears that the victim was a pedestrian, rather than a bicyclist. The bad news is, an innocent person is dead because some jackass felt a need to run a red light fast enough to knock over a school bus.

Category: General /

Update: Cyclist killed in Agoura Hills DUI hit-and-run

October 24, 2010 / / 27 comments

It’s bad enough when someone is injured or killed on the streets because of what we euphemistically call accidents.

If everyone obeyed the law and used the roads safely, there wouldn’t be any accidents.

But worse still is when someone gets behind the wheel of motor vehicle after drinking or using drugs — or willing operates their vehicle in any other impaired or distracted manner — and takes the life of another human being as a result. And worse still, flees the scene, leaving a total stranger to die in the street.

According to the Ventura County Star, S.D. Whitmansegal did exactly that when she collided with a bike being ridden by 46-year old James Laing of West Hills; earlier reports indicated the then-unidentified victim was 30 years old.

The Star reports that Whitmansegal was followed by witnesses to a nearby parking lot where she was arrested on charges of hit-and-run, vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence.

My prayers and condolences go out to James Laing’s family, friends and loved ones.

And don’t ask me what I think about someone who could do something like this. I wouldn’t like the answer I’d give right now.

Then again, she may find the real punishment will be trying to live with herself after this.

Thanks to the Ventura County Star for following up as more information became available.

Update: A few other details are slowly coming in. According to the L.A. Times, both Laing and Whitmansegal were both traveling east on Agoura Hills Road.

Meanwhile, the Star reports that Laing struck the side of Whitmansegal’s car and was thrown onto the road. When the case goes to court, the defense will undoubtedly claim it was a SWSS and that Laing swerved into the car for no apparent reason; hopefully the witnesses who tracked the driver down saw what happened.

And the Agoura Hills Patch inexplicably identifies the driver as Stephanie Segal of Woodland Hills, despite a police report identifying the driver as Whitmansegal.

Update 2: Bob points us towards a report on KCBS-2 that identifies the driver as Stephanie Segal, and says she is currently being held on $250,000 bail. The Associated Press confirms that S. D. Whitmansegal is also known as Stephanie Segal.

Laing is the 13th cyclist killed in Southern California in the last five weeks, and the 13th since the beginning of August.


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Breaking News: Cyclist killed in Agoura Hills Saturday afternoon

October 23, 2010 / / 3 comments

According to the Ventura County Star, a 30-year old cyclist was killed in a collision with a vehicle at approximately 3:45 pm this afternoon on Agoura Road just east of Liberty Canyon Road. The paper reports that the victim’s identity and city of residence have not been released at this time.

More information when it becomes available.

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Your weekend reading and upcoming events — starting with Tour de Fat

October 22, 2010 / / Comments Off on Your weekend reading and upcoming events — starting with Tour de Fat

This weekend’s can’t miss event marks the marriage of fun, bikes and beer as New Belgium Brewery’s Tour de Fat makes its first L.A. stop on Saturday, October 23rd from 9 am to 5 pm at Downtown’s Los Angeles Historic State Park.

Sunday, October 24th, Sony sponsors their bikeless, but probably still fun, Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, which means the closure of several Downtown area streets.

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.

Glendale will host meetings to get public feedback on the proposed Safe & Healthy Streets Plan on Monday, October 25 at the Glendale Central Library Auditorium, and Wednesday, October 27 at the Sparr Heights Community Center; both meetings will run from 7 pm to 8:30 pm.

The first public hearings for L.A.’s proposed bicycle anti-harassment ordinance takes place at the City Council Transportation Committee at 2 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 27th at City Hall; a second hearing takes place on Monday, Nov. 1st before the far less bike-friendly Public Safety Committee.

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 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

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Everyone is praising next year’s Tour de France route; then again, that’s what they said about the last one before half the peloton crashed in the first week. Veteran rider Jens Voight follows the Schleck brothers to their new team for next year’s pro tour. After being cleared on a doping charge, Italian rider Franco Pellizotti considers legal action against the International Cycling Union (UCI); meanwhile, the Court of Arbitration rules UCI does not have authority to fine banned rider Alexander Vinokourov.

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Streetsblog says Public Safety Committee Chair Greig Smith won’t stand in the way of the proposed anti-harassment ordinance; on the other hand, some people think he doesn’t quite seem to get it, either. Gary makes his endorsements for Santa Monica City Council. Three cyclists will end a cross-country ride to raise awareness of child sexual abuse in Santa Monica on Sunday after nearly two months on the road. Pick the best recent roadside PSA. Famed L.A. photographer Gary Leonard offers his take on CicLAvia. Courtesy of the Claremont Cyclist comes word that L.A. will have its own Gran Fondo next year on a date to be determined. Video of an epic tall bike fail; evidently, it happened right here on the Westside at L.A. Brakeless. New Newport Beach Police Chief Jay Johnson talks bikes with members of the local cycling community. Bad bike parking in San Diego, contrasted with some that actually works. Cal State Fresno attempts to solve bike parking problems on campus with a bike barn. Just in time for Halloween, a haunted Sacramento bike shop. Giving bike corridors priority in pavement repairs.

Problems with the nation’s largest local bike organization evidently go far beyond firing, then rehiring, the executive director. Portland has a new bakfiets-based mobile bike service station. Seattle Transit offers graphic evidence that bike crashes go down as ridership goes up. An Albuquerque driver — and motorcycle safety instructor — is accused of intentionally running over a cyclist. Dozens of old autos, 449 horses, 10 covered wagons, 3 oxen, and 5 jackasses — and no, they weren’t the ones on the bike. A pajama-clad cyclist is charged with domestic battery, resisting arrest and riding without a headlight. For the second time in just six weeks, a cyclist is fatally doored in New York City; the driver received a summons for “unsafe exiting.” Just because a bike path is on the map doesn’t mean it’s actually a bike path. A reminder from the NYDOT why the speed limit is set at 30 mph; maybe we should try that out here where speed limits are just suggestions. Brooklyn has its own version of the Wilbur Ave road diet controversy; pro bike lane demonstrators outnumber those against 4 to 1. A nice story about bicycling for the blind on tandem bikes. A bicycle bakery in Burlington, Vermont. Remembering a Boston cyclist killed in a collision. Zeke takes a ride through the autumn Carolina countryside.

Evidently, it’s open season on cyclists in Canada, since killing two riders only costs $2000 and your license for two years. An Ontario cyclist is seriously injured when a dog walker lets go of the leash. Could this strange contraption really set a land-speed record for wooden bikes? Oxford cyclists fight back against a proposal that could create a hostile environment for cyclists. A motorist and cyclist come to blows after the rider somehow comes in contact with the vehicle’s side mirror. A profile of Taiwan’s Giant bicycle brand, while the island nation’s first professional bike race is cancelled by a typhoon. Does Mark Ronson’s The Bike Song represent the death of hipsterism?

Finally, BikeRadar offers scientific evidence that just about everything you thought was bad for you will help your riding. So go ahead and drink, swear, eat chocolate, flirt and have sex.

But if you’re biking to do a drug deal, don’t take your kid with you.

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This weekend Tour de Fat is where it’s at

October 22, 2010 / / Comments Off on This weekend Tour de Fat is where it’s at

I admit, I’ve thought about it.

This Saturday, someone will get a new bike from New Belgium Brewing. And all you have to do is turn over your car keys and agree to commute by bike for the next year.

It’s tempting.

I mean, my little car is just two years away from the age of consent. And I’ve been using it less and less in recent years as I’ve turned from driving to biking, transit and walking, and my clients no longer seem to feel a need to see me in person in this digital age.

In fact, my tax records show I put less than one thousand miles on my car last year; many Angelenos do more than that in a slow month.

There also seems to be a perfect symmetry to it, since New Belgium is located in my hometown, and makes one of my two favorite beers — and trust me, I’ve probably tried a few thousand beers just to get it down that far. Though which of those two I like best seems to vary from day to day, depending on my mood and what I happen to have on hand.

And I doubt I have to tell you which one I find myself craving as Tour de Fat approaches.

Someone will be riding this bike home — and to work for the next year.

But then there are days like Wednesday, when I ferried three people home from a meeting on a rainy night. And that’s a damn hard thing to do on a bike.

So I’ll be keeping my car, if somewhat reluctantly.

But I will be riding bright and early to the first-ever Los Angeles edition of the Tour de Fat on Saturday, scheduled to take place from 9 am to 5 pm this Saturday, October 23 at Los Angeles Historic State Park just east of Chinatown.

It just happens to be happening just two weeks after a surprisingly successful CicLAvia, leaving local cyclists lusting for another fun bike event.

And from what I’ve heard, Tour de Fat is a hell of a lot of fun.

There’ll be a bike parade through the streets of Downtown starting around 11. And music and entertainment — and yes, beer — throughout the afternoon.

Tentative Schedule:

  • 10:00 a.m.     Bike Parade Registration
  • 11:00 a.m.     Bike Parade Launch
  • 12:00 p.m.     Performances Begin
  • 12:20 p.m.     The SLOW RIDE
  • 1:30 p.m.       Great Bike Story Contest for New Belgium Cruiser Bike
  • 2:35 p.m.       Car-for-Bike Trade Celebration
  • 4:50 p.m.       Faux Finale
  • 4:55 p.m.       Faux-Real finale
  • 5:00 p.m.       Curtain Closes

Acts:

In fact, I have it on good authority that the New Belgium people were teaching their volunteers the proper way to pour a beer on Wednesday evening, just one floor below the LACBC board meeting.

And yet, they didn’t send a single pint our way or ask for any volunteers to test their efforts.

But the event is free — and no, the beer isn’t — but any money raised will go to a good cause. Or three, since it’s a fundraiser for C.I.C.L.E., LACBC and the Bicycle Kitchen.

You can preregister here to save some time waiting in line. And costumes are strongly encouraged.

Personally, I’m thinking about going as a MAMIL.

Remember, biking under the influence is illegal in California, so limit your alcohol consumption just like you would if you were driving. And 25% of the biking fatalities in the U.S. involve cyclists who have been drinking, so have fun, but be careful on your way home.

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Council hearings are scheduled for the proposed anti-harassment ordinance before the Transportation Committee on Wednesday the 27th, and the far less bike-friendly territory of the Public Safety Committee on Monday, November 1st. Full details on Streetsblog and LAist.

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Looks like LADOT has lots of bike racks, and wants your suggestions on where to put them (be nice). Romance is in the air as the Car-Less Valley Girl falls in back in love with her bike. Long Beach bike maven Charlie Gandy provides an online slide show showing what’s next for our bike friendly neighbors to the south. Speaking of Long Beach, it looks like the biking expats are going to hole up in Portland for the winter. Bike planning continues to spread throughout the county as West Hollywood gears up for a new Bike Task Force. One more reason to ride — you hardly ever hear about police finding a mummified body on a bike. Biking to the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition; check out the double-decker tall bike. Riding from Alaska to Key West to raise awareness for suicide prevention. Bicycling offers a good examination on the state of helmet design; thanks to Stanley for the heads-up. A graphic comparison of bike share programs around the world shows the U.S. has some work to do. Instead of having a basket on your bike, why not have bike that is a basket. A Colorado Springs cyclist slowly recovers two months after being left for dead by a hit-and-run driver. Why is Nashville’s new bike share program being kept under wraps? A bike rider in Ohio is convicted of dragging a dog behind his bike, in what his lawyer claims was a misguided attempt to help a stray pup. Schmuck. New York prepares to crack down on scofflaw cyclists — and speeders too — but apparently, things are so good in Brooklyn the only thing left to complain about is bikes. Mountain Bike magazine bites the dust. The BBC looks at the surge in American cycling, as we struggle to overcome a century of auto-centric planning. Italian cyclist Franco Pellizotti is cleared of doping charges. Biking through the streets of Adelaide naked from the waist down.

Finally, congratulations to Simi Valley cyclist Katie Cook, the newest national BMX champ.

And to think she only took off her training wheels two years ago.

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Compare and contrast: taking the Times and other local media to task for unbalanced reporting

October 21, 2010 / / One comment

One was a 17-year old cyclist killed on the streets of Pacoima. The other was a 16-year old runner who died on the streets of Sherman Oaks.

Daniel Marin and Connor Lynch.

One attended a public school in Granada Hills; the other went to an exclusive private school. Daniel Marin died alone on the streets of a disadvantaged neighborhood; Connor Lynch died trying to catch up to teammates in one of the Valley’s most desirable communities.

Both deaths devastated family and friends, and brought tears to classmates.

Yet one received a massive outpouring of news coverage in the local media and around the state and nation, while the other barely made a ripple in the local press and was soon forgotten — without once mentioning the victim’s name.

It’s not that the death of runner Connor Lynch was any less tragic than Daniel Marin’s, or that it shouldn’t have been reported the way it was. Any death on our streets is a loss to the entire community; every story deserves to be told, and every victim remembered.

It’s just that Danny Marin deserved to be remembered too.

Maybe it’s because Danny died on a weekend, when the severe cutbacks in the local press mean there’s often no one around to report the story, while Connor’s killing occurred just in time for the evening news.

Or maybe it’s because some people questioned why a 17-year old would be on the streets at that late night hour. Yet it only took a little investigation by the only reporter who took the time to talk to Danny’s family and friends to uncover a perfectly benign and banal reason why he was coming home so late.

It might be because Danny’s death occurred in a largely forgotten section of the city, while Connor was killed on a busy street in an upscale community; I really don’t want to believe that the difference in coverage is due to the ethnic background of the victims or their respective communities.

Maybe it’s because Connor was participating in school activity as part of an athletic team, while Danny was just a guy trying to get home.

I don’t think it was simply because Danny was on a bike, or because traffic deaths have become so commonplace in our society; countless other pedestrians have died, even in hit-and-runs, without attracting the outpouring of news and grief that Connor Lynch received.

Frankly, I can’t explain it, any more than I can explain why the driver who ran Connor down was immediately arrested when she turned herself in to officers a few blocks away. Yet authorities initially failed to take any action against the woman who ran down Ed Magos, even though she didn’t turn herself in at a police station until hours later.

Yes, Connor was killed, while Magos was “merely” injured. But in both cases, the drivers took the same actions to turn themselves in — and much more promptly in the more recent case.

Maybe the police learned something from the Magos case, after all.

And maybe the press will take a hard look at themselves, and accept that the life of a teenage cyclist in Pacoima is worth every bit as much as that of a runner from an exclusive private school.

Or maybe the Times, the Daily News — which purports to report on the Valley — and the city’s other media outlets will finally publish Daniel Marin’s name, nearly three weeks after they reported his death. Let alone actually tell his story.

I’m not suggesting that one column inch or a single minute of airtime should be taken away from Connor Lynch. But maybe the press could find a little time and space for some of the other victims of our streets.

And by the way, Friday’s memorial ride for Daniel Marin was a success.

Even if it got exactly one mention in the press.

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Speaking of reporting, was it a case of sloppy writing or a police officer suffering from an unbelievable ignorance of the law? In a story about Segways in La Jolla, the head of the San Diego PD Northern Division says it’s against the law to “ride a skateboard or a bicycle on business district streets.” Maybe he meant riding on the sidewalk, since California law allows bikes on any surface street or highway, with the exception of some freeways and expressways.

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Condolences to our friends at the LAPd, as another officer is killed while deployed with the Marines in Afghanistan. Officer Joshua Cullins had just two days left in the field when he was killed by an IED; he had just recently recovered from injuries received while attempting to disarm another explosive device in July.

And my sympathy and condolences to Chief Charlie Beck on the death of his mother.

If you’ve noticed a change in the way L.A. cyclists are treated on the streets, don’t forget that it all started with the appointment of Chief Beck last year.

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Maybe they need a bike safety course at City Hall, as new Planning Director Michael LoGrande becomes the latest city official to be injured on a bike. Another Santa Monica City council candidate responds to Gary’s survey on biking and transportation issues. KCRW’s Kajon Cermak looks back on CicLAvia. How to stay dry on your commute during L.A.’s early winter, following our virtually nonexistent summer. The world is rediscovering the odd-looking Pedersen bike; at least one L.A. bike shop actually sells them. A Modesto musician becomes the latest cyclist to die from the hit-and-run plague. San Jose’s Bike Party gets thousands of people on their bikes to celebrate cycling without the conflict of Critical Mass. A look at Oakland’s Scrapertown scene. A Walnut Creek cyclist suffers major head injuries after falling from his bike; that’s exactly the sort of accident helmets were designed for.

A Utah teenager drives with her windows decorated for 17th birthday, and crosses onto the other side of the road to kill a cyclist. An Iowa father deliberately runs down his son’s bike because the teenager hadn’t been home in two days. Two Wisconsin hockey players face murder charges after knocking a cyclist off his bike, while another faces obstruction charges and eight teammates have been suspended for one year. Hundreds rally is support of New York’s new Prospect Park West bike lane; the downside is that yes, you do have to look both ways when you cross the street, a skill most non-New Yorkers master by age 7. The off-duty NYPD officer accused of threatening a cyclist with a gun says it was just his badge instead; easy mistake, since guns and badges look so much alike. A Tampa Bay homeowner is up in arms about the “20-plus” cyclists who invade her quiet equine community each weekend.  Now can we look forward to mandatory cyclist airbag laws? Yet another cyclist/driver complains about how those darn bike riders could ruin his life by forcing him to kill them.

A Montreal man gets 8 years for killing a cyclist during a police chase. Removing traffic signals to improve road safety. The UK’s bike-to-work plan may survive the country’s budget cuts after all. A London rider says he loves bicycling, but he’s not prepared to advertise a bank for the privilege of doing it. Viscously beat a cyclist unconscious, and get community service. Speaking of community service, that’s what a van driver got for killing a rider after a 13-hour, all-night shift. A new autobiography from the other Isle of Man cyclist. Biking through the Italian countryside.

Finally, in the Netherlands, bike theft isn’t just a crime, it’s an avocation.

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Riding random thoughts on a semi-rainy day

October 19, 2010 / / 5 comments

This is me climbing the walls.

Between today’s semi-threatening weather and an unrelenting workload — not that I’m complaining about having work in this economy, mind you — I find myself riding a wave of seemingly random thoughts rather than the bike I’d like to be on.

Partly because the bike I’d like to be on is finally ready to ride.

For some reason, I’ve never had the love for the 6-year old LeMond at the top of this page that I had for my now 30-year old Trek.

Maybe because it feels every little bump, and never felt nailed to the road like my old bike did. Or maybe because I’ve had my old bike longer than I’ve had my wife, and haven’t built the memories on the new one that I made on the old one — my bike, that is, not my wife.

Before

Although I’m sure the infamous beachfront bee encounter would certainly stand out, if only I could remember what happened.

Then again, that was before a broken wheel kept me off my bike for the last three weeks. Although I was happy to have the loan of a surprisingly lithe, plush and easy to ride red Urbana bike in the meantime.

After

But over the weekend, the kind folks at Trek and Beverly Hills Bike Shop — which isn’t actually in Beverly Hills, even though the sidewalk in front of it is — replaced my wheel under warranty, for which I thank both. So now I find myself jonesing to get out for a long ride on my own bike, and realizing just how much I’d missed it.

Especially since I got a report today that the virtually unridable sidewalk bike path along Sepulveda Blvd that we discussed yesterday may have finally seen a little improvement, along with the badly cracked Class 1 path through the Marina.

And unfortunately, that time off my bike is starting to show in the snugness of my waistband. And evidently, there’s a reason for that.

According to a formula in a recent issue of Bicycling, I burn about 1,000 calories an hour. (Weight divided by 2.2, multiplied by 12 if you ride between 16 –19 mph; my normal cruising speed is 18 – 20. Or multiply by 16 if you ride 20 mph or higher, by 10 if you ride 14 – 16, 8 for 12 – 14, 6 for 10 – 12, or by 4 if you ride less than 10 mph.)

So that’s somewhere around 10,000 –12,000 calories a week I haven’t been burning. And 3,500 calories plus or minus equals 1 pound of weight gained or lost.

The fun, not-so-little Urbana I borrowed — love those big, bouncy glow-in-the-dark tires

It also explains, in least in part, why a recent study suggested that biking on a regular basis could add up 14 months to your life. Although as far as I’m concerned, extending the quality of life is every bit as important as extending the length of it.

Which is why I plan to keep riding as long as my body will let me. That and the fact that there’s almost nothing I’d rather do.

And that could help explain yesterday’s article in the Times, which said that sales are down for electric bikes. While an e-bike may provide efficient, sweat-free transportation, it can’t provide the same health benefits or the sheer satisfaction and physical joy of pedaling a bike.

E-bikes can also cost every bit as much as, and sometimes more than, a Vespa-style scooter — even an electric one — while being more difficult for a beginner to ride. And you can’t always ride them everywhere bikes are allowed.

So I think I’ll stick with my bike, thank you. The one with the new wheel, tire and cycling computer.

And I plan to pedal its skinny GatorSkins Downtown for Tour de Fat this Saturday — and burn a few thousand calories in the process, which should just about make up for the calories I expect to consume there.*

* Biking under the influence is illegal in California, so limit your alcohol consumption just like you would if you were driving.

.………

Word broke Monday that a SoCal golfer died after being struck in the head with a golf ball; there’s no truth to the rumor that Mayor Villaraigosa may propose a mandatory helmet law for everyone on the links. Contrast the massive media coverage his death received with the minimal coverage given most biking fatalities; then again, golfing deaths a pretty rare, while a death on the streets just isn’t that usual. Thanks to Rex Reese for the heads-up.

And in a story that defies rational explanation — or rather, in which the explanation doesn’t seem rational — Witch on a Bicycle points out that authorities in a Massachusetts town blame a bicycle rider for plowing down two parking meters before crashing into a car. Call me crazy, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cyclist who could knock over a solid steel parking meter post. Let alone two.

.………

Next year’s Tour de France looks like one of the more challenging routes in years, with six high mountain stages and four summit finishes. As expected, a Spanish cyclist ends the year ranked #1 in the world — but it’s Rodriguez, not TdF winner and tainted meat eater Contador; Tyler Farrar is the top American at #9. And Lance is well on his way to fathering his own team as he becomes a dad for the fifth time.

.………

Streetsblog asks where the next CicLAvia should be. The Claremont Cyclist discusses the 2nd Annual Mike Nosco Memorial Bicycle Ride; this year’s ride will benefit Andreas Knickman, the son of former pro racer Roy Knickman, in his fight against cancer. Bikeside’s Mihai Peteu reports on last Friday’s memorial ride for Daniel Marin. A Long Beach cyclist is threatened with tickets in retaliation for questioning an officer. Gary continues to shine a light on the Santa Monica City Council race, as two more candidates respond to his questionnaire on biking and land use issues. Will questions just how much a bike is really worth. Bicycle Fixation takes an in-depth look at bike parking, comparing a well-designed rack with a modern relic from the best-forgotten past. San Francisco aims for a 20% bike share by 2020, and a bold path forward for Bay Area cyclists. The Sonoma County GranFondo hit-and-run is now being investigated as an intentional assault. Advice on what to do if you’re stopped for riding in the lane, in response to a sheriff’s deputy who just didn’t get it. Bike lawyer Bob Mionske is interviewed by a Cleveland radio station. A reminder to check your auto insurance, because the uninsured motorist coverage can protect you on a bike. A Kansas City cyclist known locally as the Bike Man is gunned down and left to die in the street. New York Critical Mass riders win a nearly $1 million settlement; half will go for legal fees. An NYC cyclist shoots a cop when they try to stop him for riding illegally on the sidewalk; seems like a bit of an overreaction to me. NFL quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen ride bikes sans helmets. Why drivers should love Toronto’s new bike boxes. Eight months in jail for running down a cyclist and leaving the scene while driving with impaired vision. A 6-year old cyclist is clotheslined when he rides into an over-extended dog leash.

Finally, biking can do more than just get you from here to there, it can also lead you home to a family you’ve never known. Or it can provide the path to true love — or not, as the case may be — in one of the cutest short films I’ve seen in ages.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

A low-cost fix for a troubled West L.A. bikeway

October 18, 2010 / / One comment

Click for detailed map with description and photos

Earlier this year, I wrote about Westwood’s abandoned bikeway — a winding Class 1 route that leads from the intersection of Wilshire and Veteran to the southern edge of the VA Center along Ohio Ave.

It should be a pleasant off-road feeder route for UCLA students, especially since cyclists are no longer allowed to pass through the National Cemetery north of Wilshire. Unfortunately, a lack of maintenance has made it virtually unridable in places; yet it continues to remain on the city’s draft bike plan, for reasons only a bureaucrat could understand.

Recently Evan Garcia, a cyclist who works at UCLA, emailed me with a suggestion that could revive the route by allowing riders to bypass the worst sections and connect to Ohio without running the gantlet of traffic on narrow Veteran Blvd.

Not only is it a great idea, it could be accomplished right now at minimal cost. So I asked Evan to explain it in his own words.

.………

This site did a great service for all West LA and Westwood cyclists when it thoroughly dissected the problems with the Westwood Park bike path. As it currently stands, it’s a forgotten route. That isn’t to say that cyclists don’t ride through Westwood Park — I do, and I see others often — but right now it has been so neglected in parts (simply look at the photos of the path along Sepulveda) that its full length is not a viable route for cyclists. So, out of both wishful thinking and selfish reasons (it would make my bike commute between Santa Monica and Westwood Village much more enjoyable), I’m proposing some changes to the route that would extend its usefulness.

A simple change here could let bikes bypass heavily trafficked Westwood streets

If you aren’t familiar with the area, Ohio Ave. is a two lane east-west street between Wilshire and Santa Monica Blvds used by many cyclists. Veteran Ave. runs north-south, and it is between Sepulveda and Westwood Blvds. Neither Ohio or Veteran have bike lanes. The “existing” bike path, as previously described on this site, runs on a crumbling sidewalk along Sepulveda. One could of course ride along Sepulveda in the street, but there is no bike lane and drivers seem to treat it as a mini-freeway. On the sidewalk on the east side of Sepulveda are many businesses with parking lots, leading to a risk of a car entering or exiting without looking for bikes traveling on the sidewalk.

Narrow Veteran Avenue isn’t safe or inviting even for experienced for cyclists

Currently when I bike to Westwood, I travel along Ohio and turn left onto Veteran heading north. The ride along Ohio is acceptable, though of course it could be better.  I feel a major problem is alongside Veteran, however. Veteran is a street with two lanes and parking for cars on both sides, as is Ohio, but it is much more narrow than Ohio.

As a result, riding along Veteran can be very intimidating and unpleasant. If there are cars coming in the opposite direction, cars behind a cyclist cannot pass. Of course, many drivers have honked at me (or at the car waiting to pass me) and the cars parked along Veteran ensure that a cyclist is in the door zone unless they take the full lane. What I propose is linking Ohio to the bike path through Westwood Park via Greenfield Avenue, a street one block west of Veteran that dead-ends at a parking lot for the park. This would allow cyclists to travel between Ohio and Veteran through the park and without the dangers of riding along narrow Veteran Ave.

Gate at the end of Greenfield Ave

Greenfield Ave. terminates at the far end of the parking lot. Access from the street to the parking lot is currently blocked off — I assume to prevent cars traveling south on Veteran from driving through the lot quickly as a shortcut to get to Ohio — by a large swinging gate. Along the sidewalk are two stationary poles. Replacing the gate with additional poles — which could be removed by park employees to allow park vehicles to get through — would let cyclists pass between Greenfield and the parking lot without going on the sidewalk, while still preventing cars from cutting through.

Curb blocking convenient bike access

Between the parking lot and the bike path is a curb, and a small incline with a dirt path. Removing the curb would let bikes connect to the path from the parking lot. Further north near where the path exits the park and runs alongside the Federal Building is a crosswalk across Veteran at Rochester Avenue.

Installing a wheelchair cutout on the west side of Veteran — there is already one on the east side — would let cyclists cross much more easily than trying to turn left onto Veteran from one of the Federal Building driveways.

Veteran Ave near exit from Westwood Park; even with a crosswalk, it can be difficult to get across

This may be a pipe dream, but also having a crosser-controlled light warning signal would alert drivers that someone — a cyclist or pedestrian — is waiting to cross (I know from personal experience that very few drivers will voluntarily stop to let someone waiting to cross; it usually takes going into the crosswalk when there is no traffic on the nearest side and hoping that drivers coming on the other side slow down).

I realize that this would not make for a perfect bike path — it does nothing to address the problems of the path along Sepulveda and Ohio — but I think it would make getting from Westwood to Ohio less stressful and dangerous.

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After challenging in the Vuelta, Philippe Gilbert won his second consecutive Tour of Lombardy. Just days after having his two-year ban for doping reduced for cooperating with investigators, Danilo di Luca is free to compete again. David Millar and the ageless Jeannie Longo win the final time trial of the European pro season. Katie Compton wins in the first round of the MTB World Cup.

.………

SoCal based Felt bikes rolled along with the rest of us at CicLAvia. The people behind CicLAvia are officially honored by the City Council, and deserve our thanks, as well. Examined Spoke compares biking infrastructure in the U.S. and Europe firsthand, and not surprisingly, finds us lacking. The Claremont Cyclist reports on the CORBA Fat Tire Festival — and encourages you to support the advocacy groups that work to keep us all safer. El Random Hero becomes yet another victim of bike theft. A look at Tucson Velo, that great bike website to our east. Building memories in a two-week family bike tour of the Rockies. Nearly 25% of bicyclists killed in the U.S. in 2008 were legally drunk; a BAC of .08 raises a cyclist’s risk of serious injury by 2,000%. Don’t just ride on sharrows, wear them. Building bike culture in the land of Elvis and Rev. Al Green. An 82-year old Destin FL man rides his first century just to see if he could. A Manhattan cyclists alleges an off-duty cop pulled a gun on him in a road rage incident. Taking a bike tour of the palace of Versailles. Biking for transportation means riding anytime, not just bike commuting. Kiwi cyclists can look forward to riding with Landis.

Finally, some good news over the weekend as pro BMX rider and MTV host TJ Lavin shows signs of improvement after being critically injured attempting a stunt in Las Vegas; is he’s.

And in non-bike related news, congratulations to my good friends at Altadenablog, who are now officially related to a saint, by blood or marriage, respectively. I have no idea how that would feel; most of my relatives lean the other way.

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