Archive for General

Run a stop sign, kill a cyclist, flee the scene, get probation

August 20, 2010 / / 8 comments

Evidently, life is cheap in the East Valley.

On the morning of September 23rd, 2008, Naira Margaryan blew through a stop sign in her Mercedes Benz, hit a cyclist and fled the scene, leaving Gerado Ramos lingering in a coma for over a year before he finally died of his injuries.

This Tuesday, she was sentenced for her actions.

Correction: The Glendale News Press had said that Margaryan fled the scene; they have since corrected the above story to indicate that she stayed at the scene following the collision.

Not for the jail time that such a crime would seem to call for. Instead she received 700 hours of community service.

And a restricted driver’s license.

I got a stiffer punishment from the ruler-wielding nuns back in catechism class.

Meanwhile, her victim, who authorities found equally responsible for the collision, received the death penalty for the crime of riding his bike on the sidewalk. Which may or may not have been legal in the exact spot where he was struck, given the confusing nature of Glendale’s Municipal Code.

Apparently, riding on the sidewalk is legal anywhere except a business district. But business district is defined so broadly that pretty much any location that isn’t made up exclusively of single family homes would seem to qualify.

CVC 240(c) All churches, apartments, hotels, multiple dwelling houses, clubs, and public buildings, other than schools, shall be deemed to be business structures.

So one ran a stop sign and killed another human being; the other rode his bike on the sidewalk.

Yeah, those seem like equivalent crimes to me, alright.

But only one of them gets to walk away.

Update: This story has been edited to remove any additional references to hit-and-run, based on the News Press correction.

………

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa provides his own perspective on this week’s Bike Summit on the Huffington Post, and promises to follow-up with answers to the most popular questions on his Google Moderator page. Blogdownton responds that cyclists are looking for progress, not promises, while Bikeside accuses the Mayor of declaring helmet war on cyclists.

And leading Brit bike site Road.cc notes that the Mayor is turning into a cycling evangelist, and things seem to be changing for the better here in L.A.; any story that quotes me can’t be all bad.

………

LACBC urges cyclists to write in support of the suddenly threatened bike lanes on Wilbur Avenue in the Valley; the problem is local resistance to a planned road diet to make room for the lanes, not a shortage of roadway paint.

………

The Source looks at Wednesday night’s Moving Beyond Cars event, and offers highlights from last week’s Metro Bicycle Roundtable. Streetsblog looks forward to this weekend’s Bikeside Speaks, while Gary offers an updated speaker list. Never thought I’d be envious of a bike route through Claremont, but that’s one pretty ride. Police crack down on Tucson’s Tuesday Night Bike Ride. If a cyclist riding the wrong way hits a jaywalking pedestrian, do they cancel each other out? Bob Mionske says if you buzz pedestrians, you give all of us a bad name. Bicycling looks at the best up-and-coming American riders. The Thin Bike promises to take up less space in your crowded apartment. A Colorado man takes a bat to a $4,800 bike because he’s tired of “old guys…hogging the road;” Dave Moulton asks, was it worth it? From my home town, cyclists say You know me, I ride a bike. Texas cyclist Reed Bates is found guilty of reckless driving for not riding as far right as possible, the judge says whether or not it’s safer to ride in the middle of the lane, it’s still reckless; Andy Clarke explains why the League of American Bicyclists didn’t get involved. What if bike racks could pay for themselves — or maybe even make money? Michigan cyclists raise money to repave a popular riding road. Two Indiana cyclists are killed in separate incidents just hours apart. The most dangerous state for cyclists promotes its new three foot passing law. Anti-bike scaremongering reaches the boiling point in New York, even though collisions between cyclists and pedestrians have dropped by more than half. MIT’s Copenhagen Wheel, capable of turning any bike into an electric-assisted bicycle, wins the U.S. round of the James Dyson Award; the Guardian says it’s too clever for it’s own good. The local bike shop in Altlandsburg, Germany shouldn’t be hard to find. York, England authorities are puzzled by an unexpected surge in bike thefts. Private street rangers plan to crack down on London’s sidewalk riding cyclists. A Brit cyclist deals with sexist idiots by exposing them on her blog, 101 Wankers.

Finally, bounce back from your next hard summer ride with a post-ride recovery beer. Now there’s a cycling supplement program I can support.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

For one brief shining moment, détente between cyclist and motorist

August 18, 2010 / / 9 comments

Sometimes, it seems like there may actually be hope for these streets.

Just a day after the Mayor called for an end to L.A. car culture at Monday’s Bike Summit, I experienced an unusually positive interaction with a driver. Even if it was next door in Santa Monica.

I’d just crossed over 7th Street, riding in the San Vicente Blvd bike lane on my way to the coast. I was still accelerating, in a section where I usually hit about 25 mph, when an SUV went by on my left and immediately began slowing down.

That often means the driver is about to do something stupid. So I slowed my cadence and feathered my brakes; sure enough, shortly after passing, she cut in front of me and pulled to a stop at the curb.

I braked hard, then rolled to a stop next to her window.

She had a cell phone in her hand, and it quickly became clear that she had done the right thing — although in the wrong way — by pulling to the curb to take her call, rather than break the law against using a handheld phone while driving. Which made me a little more sympathetic than I might have been otherwise.

So when she rolled down her window, I told her as calmly as possible that it was very dangerous to cut in front of me like that, explaining that I could have rear-ended her.

Surprisingly, she wasn’t the least bit defensive. Instead, she listened quietly, then said simply “I’m sorry.”

I continued be saying that what she should have done was to pull in behind me, then move over to the curb only after I was out of the way.

She smiled, and said “Okay, sweetie. I will next time.”

I thanked her and we wished each other well, then she turned her attention back to her call while I continued on my way. And while I can’t speak for her, I left feeling a lot more hopeful about the relationship between cyclists and drivers than I have in a long time.

Although I could have lived without that “sweetie.”

………

More on L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Bike Summit:

London’s Guardian newspaper observes that the Mayor’s Road to Damascus conversion to bicycle advocacy is proof that God is a cyclist. And they have the good taste to quote yours truly.

LAist says cyclists are excited about 11th District Council Member Bill Rosendahl’s proposal for a three-foot passing law, but not so much about Mayor Villaraigosa’s call for a mandatory helmet law.

Streetsblog notes that helmets are not required for driving and walking, which both result in as much or more risk than bicycling.

Gary predicted this moment over a year ago, but thought he was joking; as usual, his photos are amazing, including a nice B&W shot of the LACBC’s Aurisha Smolarsky and your humble scribe.

The Bike District says the driver’s lack of intent in Villaraigosa’s accident doesn’t absolve him of responsibility.

The Source concludes that cyclists left with a favorable, but wait and see attitude; I’d say that pretty well sums it all up.

Still more Summit links at Streetsblog L.A.

………

Gardena is offering a $10,000 reward in the hit-and-run death of pregnant cyclist Jennifer Costlow. Anyone with information should call Investigator Sergio Borbon at (310) 217-6135.

………

Tonight, Good sponsors Moving Beyond Cars in celebration of L.A.’s alternative transportation; the event takes place from 7 to 10 pm Downtown at City National Plaza, 525 S. Flower, in conjunction with railLA, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and de LaB.

Also on tonight, the LACBC Board of Directors meets in the mezzanine at 634 Spring Street from 6:45 to 8:45 pm; as always, the meeting is open to the public.

………

LADOT Bike Blog’s excellent survey of where it is and isn’t legal to ride on the sidewalk pedals down to the South Bay. LACBC celebrates a successful City of Lights Awards Dinner. Ten reasons for CicLAvia, with ten historic structures you’ll see on the way. The Bus Bench’s Browne Molyneux says one reason more women don’t bike is because they need to be able to pick up the kids. Claremont Cyclist gets results with the trash bins in the bike lane. An Oakland man is under arrest for the hit-and-run death of a bicycling German tourist; the SF Chronicle says it shows the need for better bike lanes.

The NY Times says Google’s bike map service isn’t perfect, but it’s not bad. NYPD is cracking down on Upper East Side cyclists. NYC will test a wireless bike share program. Now that New York is mapping pedestrian deaths, I’d suggest watching out for left turning drivers hopped up on testosterone; thanks to George Wolfberg for the links. A driver is arrested for turning a local park into a throughway in a deliberate attempt to run down cyclists; Boston Biker wonders about drivers who go into a rage over a little damage to their cars, but don’t consider the damage they’ll do when they hit someone. Turns out CNN’s Anderson Cooper is one of us, too. Houston’s Metro removes seats for cyclists; maybe L.A. Metro should give ‘em a call. The bare essentials for bike commuting. Firing back at the Seattle Times over negative coverage of a proposed road diet. A 16-year old Chicago boy is killed while riding to visit his mother; his parents say the collision was the result of a police chase. Villaraigosa isn’t the only mayor injured while cycling recently. Three-hundred bicyclists give a rolling send off to a Michigan cyclist who had ridden despite suffering from cerebral palsy. Ten years after being paralyzed from the chest down in a cycling collision, a Colorado cyclist continues to ride.

The reshuffle of the pro bike teams continues as Carlos Sastre opts for a new team. Twenty-three year old former Liquigas rider Gianni Da Ros sees his doping ban cut from 20 years to 4. Just days after L.A.’s Mayor calls for a mandatory helmet law, Aussie researchers call for its repeal, while a Canadian study shows that helmet laws don’t discourage ridership; Cyclelicious interviews one of the study’s authors. Now that’s what I call utility cycling. Cyclists and drivers trade blame in New Zealand; ignore the location and the story could have easily been written here.

Finally, three-hundred bicyclists give a final rolling send off to a Michigan cyclist who rode despite suffering from cerebral palsy, while a Colorado cyclist continues to ride, ten years after being paralyzed from the chest down in a cycling collision.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Orange County cyclist dies two weeks after being hit by an SUV; 3rd area bike death in five days

August 17, 2010 / / 2 comments

Irvine cyclist Dan Crain; photo from Orange County Rebel Riders website.

This has been a very bad few days for SoCal cyclists.

Less than a week after pregnant cyclist Jennifer Costlow was killed in Gardena, and just one day after the death of a San Fernando Valley cyclist was announced at the Mayor’s Bike Summit, a 65-year old Irvine man unexpectedly died as a result of injuries he received in a collision on August 3rd.

Dan Crain was riding south on Newport Coast Drive at 6:40 pm when he was hit by a Land Rover merging from the Corona del Mar (73) Freeway.

According to the Orange County Register, Crain was attempting to move over to the farthest right lane when he was struck from behind. Police think Crain looked back at the vehicle, then crossed over in front of it. Witnesses say the driver slammed on the brakes but couldn’t avoid hitting his bike, throwing the rider into the air and onto the pavement.

Corona del Mar Today reports that Crain, a very skilled cyclist, was conscious following the collision and appeared to be on his way to a full recovery when he passed away, apparently due to complications from multiple back surgeries.

A note on the website for the Orange County Rebel Riders bike club describes Dan Crain as a “good friend and wonderful cyclist” with a “complete willingness to help others.” Another writer notes that traffic at the spot where Crain was hit can be travelling at 60 to 65 mph, allowing only 3 or 4 seconds to maneuver safely to avoid drivers exiting the toll road.

Category: General /

Cyclist killed yesterday at Canoga and Sherman Way

August 17, 2010 / / 3 comments

At yesterday’s Bike Summit, Mayor Villaraigosa began the meeting with bad news, saying that a cyclist had been killed in the San Fernando Valley earlier that morning.

After scouring the news feeds for the past day without finding any mention of a bike collision — let alone a fatality — I reached out to the LAPD’s bike liaison Sgt. David Krumer for whatever information he might have.

According to Krumer, a Hispanic man in his 20s was riding west on Sherman Way at Canoga Blvd. A truck traveling south on Canoga was preparing to make a left turn onto eastbound Sherman Way. The truck driver had the green light and was waiting for some pedestrians to finish crossing the street.

According to several witnesses, the driver pulled forward once the intersection was clear, just as the rider rode through the red light. Unaware he had hit anyone, the driver continued down the street after running over the cyclist, returning to the scene once he was flagged down several blocks later.

Evidently, the death of a single rider in the valley doesn’t merit a mention in the local media, even when the Mayor himself makes the announcement in a room full of reporters.

But take this as a warning. Red lights exist for a reason.

Bikes are required to stop for red lights in every situation, just as drivers are. While it’s never smart to run a light, it’s especially dangerous when other vehicles are present.

The saddest part is, this tragedy was entirely avoidable.

Yes, the driver should have looked to his left, where he may or may not have seen the rider in time to avoid the collision. But evidently, the cyclist gambled with his own life.

And lost.

Thanks to Sgt. Krumer for the information.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa meets with cyclists, the world does not come to an end

August 17, 2010 / / 16 comments

Maybe he really did hit his head.

Something has to explain the seemingly overnight change in the Mayor’s support of bicycling.

His first four years in office, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa never let the word bicycle pass his lips in public. Or if he did, it occurred outside the hearing of the bike community, leaving many cyclists — myself included — to assume he was anti-bike.

Evidently, we were wrong.

It was just seven months ago that Villaraigosa captured the attention of L.A. cyclists by voicing support for CicLAvia, even if he didn’t actually use the word. And just a month since he stunned the entire city by falling off his bike and shattering his elbow.

No, it wasn’t the fall that shocked us — it was that he was even on a bike.

Former Richard Riordan and longtime bike advocate Alex Baum; all photos courtesy of George Wolfberg.

Now, less than a month later, bicyclists were the invited guests at the Mayor’s first Bike Summit — where he received a pair of training wheels, courtesy of cyclist and former Mayor Richard Riordan and BAC Chairperson Emeritus Alex Baum. And in two short hours, had made an impression, grudgingly perhaps, on a highly skeptical house of roughly 300 bicyclists.

What he said was less important than the mere fact that he stuck around for the full two hours and listened to a long line of cyclists voice their suggestions.

And their complaints.

So instead of the press event some of us feared — though there was a lot of that — it became an actual conversation.

The Mayor started things off by talking about his near-collision and discovery of the possibilities of cycling on last year’s trip to Copenhagen, and quickly morphed into the need to enforce the vehicle code and change the car culture on the streets of L.A.

With a panel that included LADOT General Manager Rita Robinson and Planning Director Michael LoGrande, among others, he addressed complaints ranging from Joe Linton’s remarks about the errors in the bike plan, to Jessica Meaney’s comment that “Roads are for everyone, not just the brave.”

Along with Brent Butterworth’s statement about drivers who think they know traffic law without truly understanding it. “People are driving around with laws in their heads that they made up.”

And please forgive me if I spelled anyone’s name wrong.

BAC Chair Glenn Bailey seemed to sum up the attitudes of audience members when he called on the Mayor and his staff to “safely accommodate bicycles on all streets, in all projects, without exception.”

The Mayor said Los Angeles was committed to building 40 miles of bikeways each year for the next 5 years, and 1600 over the next 25 — even though the city has built only 372 miles of bikeways in the previous 13 years. And responded favorably, but noncommittally, when cyclists asked for a biking equivalent of the Mayor’s 30/10 plan to speed up the pace of transit projects.

The CicLAvia group makes its presentation.

Villaraigosa responded to comments about CicLAvia with a promise to attend, and reiterated his support for a 10% set-aside for from Measure R funds for bike and pedestrian projects. He also said that he will soon film PSAs to promote bicycle safety, safe driving and helmet use, and will encourage local TV stations to play them.

However, he drew a round of boos when he said he’ll ask the state legislature to pass a mandatory helmet law, noting his doctors said he would still be hospitalized if he hadn’t been wearing his at the time of his accident. At least one audience member, BAC Vice Chair Jay Slater, agreed though, noting that the state already has a mandatory helmet law for minors. “Aren’t the brains of those over 18 just as valuable as those under,” he asked?

Mayor Villaraigosa agreed with 11th District Council Member Bill Rosendahl, the only Council Member who spoke — or appeared to be in attendance, for that matter — that they should work for a statewide three foot passing law, as well. Both also seemed to support the City Attorney’s plan for a civil anti-harassment law that would allow cyclists to sue drivers who assault, threaten or harass them, regardless of whether criminal charges are filed.

He assured the audience that his representatives will show up — and stay — for meetings of the city’s own Bicycle Advisory Committee, and that city staff and engineers will attend bike-related meetings when appropriate; if smaller cities like Glendale and Burbank can have staff attend meetings, he said, “so can we.” And that the city will look for opportunities to work with other agencies and jurisdictions to coordinate bicycle programs and capitalize on opportunities for funding.

On the other hand, he said the city had fixed potholes at three times the rate of the previous city administration, but that was going was going to slow down due to L.A.’s budget problems. Even though he acknowledged the risk that presented for riders.

Finally, the Mayor announced that he wanted to meet with cyclists again in a year to evaluate the city’s progress.

So is this the day that the Los Angeles finally turned the corner to become the bike-friendly city it always should have been?

Probably not.

Don’t get me wrong. This was huge, and hugely successful.

But there’s still a lot of work to do. And Mayor Villaraigosa still needs to demonstrate that his support goes beyond mere words and meetings, and will lead to the genuine action and hard choices that will make a difference on our streets and for our safety.

But it’s a start.

After five years in office, the Mayor is finally talking to us.

More importantly, he actually seems to be listening.

The Mayor and other panelists actually seemed to listen, but will it result in real change or more talk?

You can hear my comments about the Bike Summit, along with a brief interview with the Mayor, by downloading the podcast of Monday’s AirTalk with Larry Mantle on 89.3 KPCC.

………

At the beginning of the meeting, Mayor Villaraigosa said that he’d just received word that a bicyclist had been killed in the San Fernando Valley Monday morning. So far, I haven’t been able to find any information to confirm that report. If you have any information, let me know.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Welcome to the dawn of a new day for L.A. cyclists. Or not.

August 15, 2010 / / 4 comments

This could be one of the biggest days in L.A. bicycling. Or just a colossal waste of time.

Monday morning, L.A. cycling’s new BFF, L.A. Mayor Antonio “Bionic Elbow” Villaraigosa, is hosting his quickly arranged Bike Summit at Metro Headquarters, One Gateway Plaza.

In just a few short weeks, Villaraigosa has gone from barely mentioning the word bicycle, to actually riding — and falling off — one. And now, according to a story by the Associated Press, he’s become a newly minted advocate of bike safety and cyclists’ rights.

Villaraigosa says the city needs to invest in bicycling infrastructure and focus on traffic safety enforcement to make streets safer for cyclists.

“We also have to have a cultural paradigm shift,” Villaraigosa said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We have to recognize that even in the car capital of America, drivers have to share the road.”

The real test, tough, will be what happens in the Metro Board Room on Monday and in the weeks and months that follow.

Hopefully, the Mayor will seize the opportunity to begin a real engagement with the cycling community, show some genuine leadership and start a two-way conversation that will benefit both bicyclists and the community at large.

Or he could turn it into just another press event, pop in to make a brief statement and get his picture taken with cyclists, then duck out to deal with some “unanticipated crisis” or another.

One approach will win him a lot of new friends, yours truly included. And finally set this car-clogged city on a path towards complete streets and greater livability.

The other will leave a roomful of very angry people demanding an end to the sort of lip service that has too long been employed to buy us off for yet another few years.

Because we’re not going to settle for that any more.

Villaraigosa didn’t ask to be cut off by a careless cab driver, making him the unintended poster boy for everything that’s wrong with L.A. bicycling, and giving him a bully pulpit to push for change on our streets.

But it happened, he is and he does.

The question is, what is he going to do with it?

Larry Mantle’s AirTalk program may host a discussion of the Bike Summit after the 11 am conclusion of the Summit on 89.3 KPCC if they can make the necessary arrangements.

………

Wilbur goes on a road diet, and gets bike lanes — along with the long-promised lanes on Reseda Blvd. Finding a faux fur bike on Abbot Kinney. Bicyle Fixation challenges L.A. to sign up for the future of wayfinding. San Francisco challenges Portland and Long Beach to a bike-friendly smackdown. The Times looks at the Black Hawk Co bike ban, where gambling tour buses own the roads and bikes are banished; Chewie offers the city manager’s email address for anyone who wants to weigh in and threaten to do your gambling elsewhere. After Lance pulls out, Levi Leipheimer sets a new record in winning the Leadville 100 mountain bike race. Rolling in the vanguard of the vast bicycle conspiracy. A North Carolina newspaper says danger lurks at every turn, and never ride at night; a Michigan lawyer offers much better advice. Bicyclists have to obey the law too, but we can’t control other riders who break it. Then there’s the Alabama driver who says cyclists are the real danger on the road; yeah, we’re the ones who kill nearly 40,000 people every year. A cyclist says helmets aren’t the key to safety, drivers are; a New Zealand study shows head injuries dropped before the mandatory helmet law went into effect. Riding the Continental Divide from Alaska to Argentina, and waking up to guns more than once. Jan Ullrich withdraws from public life, but not because he lost a court case over the Operacion Puerto doping scandal. Purple Harry’s eco-friendly bike floss. A Toronto cyclist dies a month after a solo helmetless collision. Britain’s Cambridge United Football Club installs bike parking to encourage fans to ride to the matches.

Finally, a Brit cyclist moves to a new town and finds himself on trial for riding naked, something his old neighbors evidently didn’t object to, though his ex did.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Your upcoming calendar and weekend links

August 14, 2010 / / 4 comments

This week’s upcoming events:

Catch all the grace, guts, grit and glory of the Tour de France when Chasing Legends plays at Cinespace Hollywood Saturday night; credit to Claremont Cyclist for the heads-up.

Chinatown Summer Nights continues in Downtown’s Chinatown District from 5 pm to midnight every Saturday in August, with DJs, food trucks, and cultural and cooking demonstrations, among other activities; free bike valet courtesy of LACBC.

Sunday the 15th, Bikeside LA hosts a meeting to organize a campaign to increase penalties for hit-and-run at Hollywood Adventist Church.

The Mayor’s Bike Summit is scheduled for Monday the 16th from 9 am to 11 am at Metro Headquarters, One Gateway Plaza; submit or vote on questions in advance even if you can’t be there in person.

Good sponsors Moving Beyond Cars on Wednesday the 18th to celebrate L.A.’s alternative transportation, in conjunction with railLA, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and de LaB. The event takes place from 7 to 10 pm at City National Plaza, 525 S. Flower, Downtown.

Also on Wednesday, the LACBC Board of Directors meets in the mezzanine at 634 Spring Street from 6:45 to 8:46 pm; as always, the meeting is open to the public.

The next Bikeside Speaks is scheduled for Saturday, August 21st in conjunction with Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles, Specialized and the Disposable Film Festival; speakers include Mike Bower, Gary Kavanagh and CD 4 candidate Stephen Box.

The Santa Monica Museum of Art hosts the Cause for Creativity: Tour da Arts, vol. 2, on August 22; the bike tour is full, but other activities include spoke card workshop and a closing party.

Streetsblog LA resumes regular publication on Thursday, August 26. The night before, Damien will be hosting a re-launch party and fundraiser starting at 7 pm on Wednesday the 25th at St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 11555 National Blvd; I’m going to do my best to be there.

Make your plans for Parking Day LA on Sept. 17th.

New Belgium Brewery’s Tour de Fat makes its first L.A. stop on Saturday, October 23rd. The following day, Sony sponsors a bikeless, but probably still fun, Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.

………

Just two days after cyclists discussed making Metro station stairwells more bike-friendly at Wednesday’s Metro Bicycle Roundtable, 4th District Councilmember Tom LaBonge introduces a motion to have city staff study bicycle stairways. Blogdowntown says the city is moving forward on cycling, but challenges remain. Glee’s Heather Morris rides a bike in full cheerleader drag. Two bike thieves are behind bars in Long Beach. A woman drives through a Gilroy crosswalk and kills a cyclist, then blames the agencies who built it. A bicyclist — and his dog — get run over by a regular Tuesday night bike ride in Tucson; needless to say, the riders did not stop. Well, how do you ride in heels? Searchers rescue two cyclists stranded for 12 hours in bad weather in Southwestern Colorado; they can expect a very big bill. Ride a bike without a helmet in Dallas, get searched by police; link courtesy of Cyclelicious, who has almost as many as I do — links, that is. Envisioning an NYC where cyclists aren’t the only ones who cycle. Delaware cyclists and pedestrians get the nation’s second vulnerable users law. A cyclist gets buzzed by an impatient driver; guess which one gets the ticket? Buying a bike can save you money in the long run. Evidently, not paying attention and running down a Spanish RAAM competitor isn’t a crime in Kansas. A cyclist is hit in Key Biscayne; the driver plays the SMIDSY (Sorry Mate, I Didn’t See You) get out of jail free card. A fatally injured cyclist begs for help from under the SUV that hit him. A three-year fight for justice in a Montreal hit-and-run results in a $430 fine. But that’s better than Britain, where you can kill a cyclist while driving without a license, and get an 8-week curfew and £85 in court costs. New tax rules could threaten the UK’s Cycle to Work plan. Commit a crime, get a free stolen bike courtesy of the local police. Hey, I’m a MAMIL. Even when you try not to take pictures of bikes, they get in the damn picture. Paris, the City of Lights continues to transform into the City of Bikes.

Finally, now that the great bike share conspiracy has been revealed, it’s time to get out your blue UN helmet.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Pregnant bike rider killed in Gardena hit-and-run

August 13, 2010 / / 3 comments

The murderous plague of hit-and-runs continues, this time taking the life of a Gardena woman and her unborn baby early this morning.

According to the Daily Breeze, 31-year old Jennifer Costlow was riding with her boyfriend on Normandie Avenue at Gardena Blvd shortly after midnight when she was hit from behind by a dark colored car. The former Riverside Poly High School cheerleader was four months pregnant.

Reports indicate that she was revived at the scene and taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

In a stomach churning coda to the story, the Breeze says that a man believed to be her brother later visited the scene of the collision, and became visibly upset when he found “remnants of the accident, including his sister’s blood on the sidewalk.” Firefighters came to clean it up after the police were notified.

Any witnesses are asked to call the Gardena police at 310/217-6135.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Your BAC at work — building better bikeways; a civil cyclist anti-harassment ordinance

August 13, 2010 / / 11 comments

A few notes from this week’s Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting:

As you may be aware, the City Attorney has finally reported back on the proposed anti-harassment ordinance.

Your Bicycle Advisory Committee hard at work in Hollywood Monday night.

Not surprisingly, the response was that there wasn’t much the city could do, since most of the actions that would be covered by the ordinance — such as throwing objects at cyclists, encroachment, threatening a cyclist, etc. — were already covered by state law. And any attempt to address traffic regulations, such as creating a minimum three-foot passing distance, can only be addressed at the state level.

But then he offered up with a brilliant alternative.

Instead of making harassment of cyclists a criminal offense, the recommendation was to make assaulting, threatening or harassing a cyclist a civil offense under the L.A. Municipal Code.

That would allow bicyclists to sue a driver in civil court for any violations, instead of pursuing criminal charges. As a result, it would eliminate the need for police to actually witness the violation, and require a lower burden of proof since only a majority of jurors need to reach agreement in a civil case, rather than the unanimous verdict required in a criminal trial.

The ordinance would also include a provision for attorney’s fees, which could encourage a lawyer to represent you on a contingency basis. Or at the very least, mean that anyminey you’re awarded by the court wouldn’t be eaten up by lawyer’s fees.

The BAC voted unanimously to endorse the plan, which has been referred to the City Council Transportation and Public Safety Committees for further consideration.

………

Reports are that new BAC Second District representative Ayla Stern hit the ground running.

LADOT reported at the meeting that their priority in building out the new bike plan over the first five years will be filling in gaps in the current bikeway system, and building bikeways in areas that currently lack any biking infrastructure.

They also plan to focus on completing key links, such as the Cahuenga Pass between Hollywood and the Valley, as well as extending the Orange Line bike path and building a new bike path along the Expo Line. In addition, if a street included in the bike plan is scheduled for resurfacing, a bikeway can be striped as part of the repaving, whether or not it’s part of the five year plan.

A perfect example is the work currently being done to install HOV, or car pool, lanes on the 405 through the Sepulveda Pass. Metro has offered to build bike lanes on Sepulveda Blvd wherever their work involves that street, which is the key connecting route for cyclists between the Westside and the Valley — despite a bike lane that repeatedly stops and starts and is only a few feet wide in places.

The BAC passed a motion asking the city to use this opportunity to fill in any remaining gaps to create a continuous bike lane from Ventura Blvd to Wilshire Blvd, and to explore innovative solutions to improve safety for cyclists at the Sepulveda Blvd onramp to the southbound 405.

They also approved a motion to ask that design and construction of the Expo Bikeway be done along with the rail work, so that it can be included in any plans and not precluded by the plans or alignment for the Expo Line.

A limited schedule of hearings on the bike plan will take place next month.

  • Sept. 2, Thurs 5:00 to 8:00 PM in the Braude Building in Van Nuys
  • Sept 11, Sat 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM @ Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall, 6501 Fountain Ave.
  • Sept 14, Tues 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM @ Felicia Mahood Senior Center next to WLA City Hall
  • Sept 16, Thurs 5:00 to 8:00 PM in South LA /Webinar
  • Additional dates may be added but any delay will probably foreclose the possibility of applying for the next Metro Call for Projects

………

Speaking of bikeways, Claremont Cyclist asks what good is a bike lane or path when it’s obstructed?

Funny he should mention it. I ran into this guy — not literally, fortunately — in Westwood yesterday; maybe he was just trying to save seven bucks.

………

Are drivers out to get public radio hosts? First KCRW’s Warren Olney got doored earlier this year; now Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! gets hit by a car as he was riding through an intersection.

Fortunately, he’s okay, aside from what he describes as the occasional stab in the back from an invisible angry dwarf, but says his racing bike may be cursed. And it gave a Chicago bike commuter second thoughts about some of her close calls. Thanks to Patrick Murray for the heads-up.

………

A rally is scheduled at City Hall for noon today with Barbara Boxer and Move LA in support of the Mayor’s 30/10 plan to speed up transit projects; what we need is a 25/10 plan for bikeways to go with it. Speaking of the Mayor, he wants your questions for Monday’s Bike Summit, even if you can’t be there in person.

………

LACBC’s first monthly volunteer mixer was a success. Santa Monica ciclovia gets its own website; thanks to Gary Rides Bikes for the link. Flying Pigeon helps distribute the new Blogdowntown Weekly on Nihola Family bikes. Ubrayj sees some progress in his campaign for a car-free Lincoln Park. Tucson police finally begin enforcing Arizona’s three-foot passing law; the cartoon at the beginning alone is worth the click. A Kentucky man buys a bike custom made for Floyd Landis — for $5. Evidently, bike share isn’t a new idea; Mark Twain suggested it 115 years ago, in Portland, of course. Testing out the triple seat Kangaroo Family bike. Did Chicago police protect the Hyatt Hotels heir from road rage charges after he tried to run a cyclist off the road? Is the real conflict between cyclists and motorists, or between patient and not-so-patient people? A writer says cyclists should be as courteous as other road users; do we really need to lower ourselves to that level? Brisbane police crack down on bell-less bikers. A Vancouver politician says Critical Mass should declare victory and obey the law. Evidently, L.A. cyclists aren’t the only ones who have to deal with pothole problems.

Finally, an Austin man was killed last year after crashing in his first bike race; yesterday, his heart finished the first lap.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

Cop tells seniors not to ride in the street — then tickets them for riding on the sidewalk

August 11, 2010 / / 7 comments

Sometimes, it seems like you can’t ride anywhere.

According to the Orange County Register, four OC senior citizens were stopped by a police officer for riding on the sidewalk — just moments after the same officer warned them not to ride in the street.

As they rode along a restaurant-filled section of PCH, the four riders passed a motorcycle cop as he finished writing a ticket, and made a comment about the busy street. The officer responded by saying he wouldn’t ride there, so they took to the sidewalk — legally, as shown by a sign indicating that the sidewalk was a designated bike route.

So imagine their surprise when the same officer roared up a few blocks later, lights and siren blaring, and — incorrectly — told them that riding on the sidewalk is against the law in California. He specifically pointed to CA Code 12.56.30 (A) NBMC, which doesn’t seem to exist in the Vehicle Code.

In fact, the only California Code I could find by that number is one that assigns responsibility for the unauthorized release of hazardous materials.

Maybe he just scared the crap out of them.

Oddly, only two of the cyclists were cited by the officer, while the other two — who apparently committed the same infraction — were let go.

As it turns out, the cyclists were technically in violation of the law because riding on the sidewalk is allowed next to PCH before Riverside Ave, but banned immediately after crossing the street — even though there’s no sign indicating that the bike route ends or that riders must leave the sidewalk.

Amazingly, Lt. Bill Harford of the Newport Beach Police Department defends the officer.

“The officer did cite them appropriately, and they need to go through the process,” Hartford said. “They’ll have their day in court — that’s the purpose of it. It’s up to the judge to look at the circumstances and make a decision.”

It seems far more likely that the department owes them an apology, and should do everything in their power to get the tickets dismissed. They should also work with the city to get proper signage installed instructing riders to leave the sidewalk once the bike route ends.

And a little common sense wouldn’t hurt. Because the police can observe the letter of the law.

And still be very, very wrong.

Update: I may have been overly harsh in my criticism of the officer who wrote the ticket. TC points out in the comments below that the code he cited is part of the Newport Beach municipal code, rather than state law. We don’t have the actual ticket for reference, so there’s no way to know if the officer actually said it was a violation of state law, or if the riders misunderstood him or inferred he was referring to state law.

As a result, I’ve toned down some of my comments, and apologize for my earlier criticism that the officer involved was ignorant of the law.

However, I still believe that a warning would have been appropriate under the circumstances. Most cyclists aren’t familiar enough with local ordinances to know where they can and can’t ride on the sidewalk, and it’s virtually impossible for cyclists to know when they’ve moved from one area where it’s allowed to another where it’s banned without adequate signage, particularly after having just passed a sign saying it was legal.

………

Meanwhile, LADOT Bike Blog continues its excellent examination of local sidewalk riding ordinances; maybe they’ll go south of the Orange Curtain and take a look at those wacky folks in Newport Beach.

And Gary points out that if Santa Monica wants to ban bikes from the sidewalk, they should defend cyclists who ride in the street.

………

The Mayor’s office has created a Facebook page for his upcoming Bike Summit on Monday; if you’re not one of the 5,696 people invited so far, invite yourself — or just show up.

………

The next Bikeside Speaks takes place Saturday, August 21st in conjunction with Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles, Specialized and the Disposable Film Festival; the above mentioned Gary of Gary Rides Bikes will be one of the speakers. Beverly Hills Patch looks at local cycling instructor and bike activist Ron Durgin. The Times’ Chris Erskine names Lance Armstrong to his all-ego team. Claremont Cyclist says even if L.A. builds the 40 miles of bikeways each year that they’ve promised, they still have a very long way to go. Cyclelicious looks at how to get local traffic engineers to enforce the state law requiring traffic signal actuators to recognize bikes. Los Altos cyclists and drivers compete for space on the roads; according to the writer, bikes are entitled to the full lane but should keep to the right of it. Huh?

Chicago calls its bike share trial a success and plans an annual return each spring; DC’s starts next month. A leaner, meaner — and cheaper — approach to bike share. A Wisconsin driver faces a $114 fine for violating the state’s three foot passing law by running over and killing a cyclist; thanks to Witch on a Bicycle for the heads-up. Consider a Tour du Fromage through the Wisconsin’s cheese country. A Boston cyclist is killed; police say it’s just an accident. A mean old rich guy wants Boston area cyclists to stay the hell away from his yard. Keep pandas away from your bamboo bike. A cop tells a Tennessee cyclist to get off the road. Even a helmet advocate like me agrees that avoiding crashes is the most important factor in avoiding serious injury; meanwhile, mandatory child helmet laws apparently reduce injury rates by keeping kids off their bikes.

Vancouver business owners are up in arms over a proposed bike lane. A former world junior champion struggles to come back from a near fatal collision. The president of the World Anti-Doping Agency wants to ban your morning eight cups of espresso. A Brit bike messenger claims to have delivered a document 125 miles in five and a half hours. Town Mouse has her head turned observing a rare Pederson bike. A British law firm wants to increase the understanding between cyclists and truck drivers; how’s this for an understanding — just don’t kill us, okay?

Finally, Pinarello has replaced the Porsche as official status symbol of the mid-life crisis.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,
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