Archive for Morning Links

Morning Links: Rail-to-River comes up for a vote, and local universities go bike friendly — but once again, not USC

October 23, 2014 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: Rail-to-River comes up for a vote, and local universities go bike friendly — but once again, not USC

We have a lot to catch up on after yesterday’s unplanned absence, so let’s get right to it.

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Local

The plan to turn an abandoned South LA railway into a Rail-to-River bikeway comes up for a vote today.

The LAPD offers tips on protecting your bike following a rash of bike thefts in the Pacific Division.

Bike riders respond to the Times’ recent editorial raising the specter of the mythical war on cars, including one from John Lloyd — aka Boyonabike — saying they have it backwards.

The LACBC’s Colin Bogart offers bike safety tips for young riders, courtesy of First 5 LA.

Bikes are making inroads in LA, even on bike-unfriendly Wilshire Blvd on the Miracle Mile.

LAist looks at Sunday’s beer-friendly Keep LA Beautiful ride with the LA Explorer’s Club.

Win two free tickets to next month’s Los Angeles Grand Prix.

A Glendale letter writer says bike riders should be ticketed just like drivers, neglecting to consider that we already are. And most drivers who break the law aren’t ticketed, either.

 

State

Calbike looks back at the successes and failures of this year’s legislative session, much of which was marred by Jerry Brown’s veto pen.

Thirteen California universities make this year’s list of bike friendly colleges, including UCLA, UC Irvine, Cal State Long Beach, Pomona College and Santa Monica College. But to no one’s surprise, historically bike-unfriendly USC didn’t, despite the massive number of students who ride to and on campus.

A Redlands couple riding their bikes together are assaulted by the passenger of a passing car.

Modesto mother plays detective after her son’s bike is stolen.

The San Jose Mercury News says exercising your dog by riding next to it on your bike is unnatural and cruel.

The driver who allegedly killed a San Francisco cyclist while fleeing from police in a stolen van now faces a well-deserved murder charge.

 

National

Surly is looking for women to help promote their line of non-spandex bikewear.

Lots of people are biking across the US these days. Not many are nine years old and riding to raise money for children with cancer, though.

The Bike League goes for a ride with Cherokee Schill, the Kentucky cyclist who was arrested for the non-crime of riding a bike in the traffic lane. They also invite you to join the I Bike, I Vote movement.

Unbelievable. Intentionally run down a bike rider in New York and flee the scene, and walk away with a whopping $250 fine.

New York is famous for ticketing cyclists for riding on the sidewalk. But it raises some serious questions when most of those tickets are issued in Black and Latino neighborhoods.

The driver who killed an Atlanta fireman training for an Ironman race in New Orleans gets a well-deserved 5-and-a-half years in prison; thanks to Chris Menjou for the heads-up.

 

International

Ontario, Canada considers increasing fines for drivers who door cyclists and use cell phones behind the wheel, as well as approving contraflow bike lanes.

An Ottawa Storify discusses whether ghost bikes should be taken down or left alone.

Road safety improves in Scotland, including a small drop in bicycling deaths and injuries.

Even in the bike friendly Netherlands, police ticket an even gross of bike riders for running a balky red light.

The Tour de France unveils a challenging route for next year’s race, including a finish on the legendary Alpe d’Huez. Meanwhile, British cyclist Lizzie Armistead calls for a minimum wage for female pros.

Sad news, as a Kenyon cyclist is killed while participating in a Philippine stage race.

Road riding is too scary for an Aussie bike gold medalist following the deaths of too many friends.

 

Finally…

The press is up in arms over bike riders hitting pedestrians in New York’s Central Park, but fail to consider that sometimes it’s the pedestrian’s fault. Even John McEnroe is complaining about lunatic bike riders in Central Park.

And in a case of bike-on-bike road rage, a London rider is kicked off his bike by a passing cyclist.

Seriously, no matter how pissed off you are, there’s never an excuse for violence — especially when it dumps another rider in the path of oncoming traffic.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: Tour of California finally opens up to women, women’s bike mechanic scholarships available

October 20, 2014 / / 5 comments

Now that’s more like it.

Not only does next year’s Amgen Tour of California finish with a stage from LA Live to Pasadena, it also feature three — count ‘em, three — women’s stage races in addition to a women’s time trial.

If all goes well — and it will — maybe women will finally be allowed to compete on equal terms with the men in a few years. Or at least have a full eight-stage tour of their own next to the men’s tour.

Now if we can just get rid of those anachronistic podium girls.

Note: The original story in the Daily News said the final stage would finish at the Rose Bowl, however that has since been changed to a more generic Pasadena finish. So I have revised this section to reflect that.

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Attention wannabe women wrenches.

And yes, that’s wrench, with an R, before anyone gets overly offended.

A collection of bicycling companies have teamed together to offer 10 full-ride scholarships for women to attend the United Bicycle Institute’s Professional Shop Repair and Operations Workshop.

The scholarships are open to both experienced and aspiring bike mechanics over the age of 18 who are US residents and employed by a bike shop, and will cover the full cost of tuition and lodging for the two-week course.

Better find a bike shop job quick before the November 20th deadline.

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Local

Steetsblog’s Joe Linton analyzes the LA Times Sunday editorial calling on the city to avoid a war on cars.

Cycling Weekly looks at LA’s own Stoopidtall bike.

El Segundo police bust a pair of burglars and recover three “distinctive” bicycles in the process.

Bad news from Norwalk, as a bike rider in his 50s was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting.

 

State

Riding in Big Bear can give you a serious workout combined with great views.

Seriously? The people in charge of the Golden Gate Bridge want to charge cyclists and pedestrians just to use the crosswalk.

The local Sonoma paper says goodbye to Michael Torckler, the Kiwi cyclist who was nearly killed while riding in the area two years ago, as he moves back home after losing his sponsorship.

 

National

Outside Magazine says self-driving cars will be the best thing that ever happened to cyclists. We can only hope.

A salmon cyclist and the driver who hit him could both face citations in St. George UT.

A local TV station says Cleveland cyclists fear for their lives amid a growing bikelash from drivers.

Illegal Central Park bike vendors battle in New York.

A Richmond VA writer responds with surprising reasonableness to anti-bike complaints from motorists.

In a tragedy that mirrors the Milt Olin case, a Florida sheriff’s deputy was found at fault after drifting out of his lane while using his patrol car’s onboard computer and killed a 15-year old cyclist. No word on whether he’ll face charges, unlike the driver who killed Olin.

 

International

Jared Leto goes for a bike ride in Rio.

What a waste. A British student is stabbed to death in a dispute over a bike worth the equivalent of just $145. Although I suppose it would be every bit as sad if the bike was worth ten times that amount.

A Brit bike rider comes within an inch of severing her femoral artery after she’s impaled by her brake lever.

Kiwi bike advocates protest as a driver walks free despite being convicted of killing a cyclist.

The mayor of Seoul, Korea calls for more bike-only roads after the city sees 13,000 bike collisions over a five-year period.

 

Finally…

Someone in a British town posted signs warning “Lycra louts” aren’t welcome there. Bike Snob offers his typical practical yet cynical advise on how to keep your bike from being stolen.

And a letter writer in Alexandria VA bizarrely compares a new city ordinance allowing bikes on the sidewalk to the infamous Reichstag fire that helped Hitler consolidate power in Nazi Germany.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: A rough weekend for bike riders in San Diego and Orange Counties; the Times talks war on cars

October 19, 2014 / / 4 comments

We’ve got a lot of news to get to after a busy weekend.

But if you don’t like reading about the bad things that can happen when people on two wheels share the road with those on four, skip the next two sections.

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Too much bad news from San Diego this weekend.

No three-foot passing distance here, as a bike rider suffers a broken arm when he’s clipped by the foot peg of a passing motorcycle.

A San Diego cyclist is seriously injured when a car veers into the bike lane he was in while riding next to friends competing in a triathlon.

Her family pleads for the driver to come forward, as a hit-and-run victim remains in the ICU with a traumatic brain injury a week after she was run down by a heartless coward. A fund established in her name has raised $13,000 out of a goal of $25,000.

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Then again, the news from Orange County isn’t much better.

A 13-year old Huntington Beach boy is seriously injured when he’s hit by not one, but two Mercedes cars.

An Orange County cyclist suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a suspected drunk driver while riding on PCH Sunday evening. Thanks to Jeffrey Fylling and Lois for the heads-up.

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News for all you low riders, as BentRider reports on Recumbent Cycle-Con 2014; thanks to LA BAC member David Wolfberg for the tip.

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Scary news when it comes to painted bike lanes, as a recent UK study shows they don’t make any difference in drivers’ passing distance. If the drivers even notice them.

On the other hand, a new survey shows overwhelming support for London bikeways.

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Local

The LA Times says it will take strong leadership to put cyclists, pedestrians and transit users on an equal footing with drivers in order to avoid a war on motorists. Maybe it’s time we all dropped the phrase “war on cars/drivers/motorists,” since the only victims of this mythical war are the ones on foot or two wheels.

The LA Register correctly points out that cyclists aren’t legally required to carry ID — although it’s always a good idea to have something with you, just in case.

Bike the Vote LA offers a bike oriented voter’s guide, but wisely avoids endorsing our bike-unfriendl, and anti-hit-and-run reform governor.

 

State

I want to be just like him when I grow up. An 80-year old Mission Viejo man rides 80 miles on his 80th birthday — and one more for good measure.

Newport Beach’s proposed Bicycle Master Plan goes before the city council.

Two-hundred brightly lighted cyclists celebrate Cycledelic in Palm Springs.

Just a little bias here, as the San Francisco Chronicle claims a proposition in the city’s upcoming election will put buses, bikes and pedestrians on the fast track while moving cars to the slow lane.

Over 100 Stockton riders turn out for the fifth annual San Joaquin Bike Festival.

 

National

Utah’s Bamboo Cyclist gets four years for running a non-bike related Ponzi scheme.

Laramie WY, where I used to get run off the road by pickup driving cowboys on a regular basis, is now among the top 10 towns for bike commuting, with a nearly 7% mode share.

Evidently, the life of an Iowa cyclist is worth less than the bike he was riding under current state law.

Good idea. A new Michigan law requires driver education courses to include instruction on bike and motorcycle laws.

A fire hose came loose from a Toledo fire truck on an emergency run, and yanked off the rear wheel of a bike while it was being ridden down the street; fortunately, the rider escaped with scrapes and a broken leg.

Arterial streets make up just 15% of New York roadways, but account for over half of the city’s bike and pedestrian collisions. I suspect the same thing would hold true here.

A writer for the New York Times says if cities want to encourage bicycling, they need to lose the emphasis on bike helmets.

A prominent New York investment banker doors a cyclist, then throws his business card to the limo driver and takes off running.

Evidently, Charleston police have a habit of blaming the victims in deadly bicycling collisions, regardless who is actually at fault.

 

International

Unbelievable. A UK milkman continued on his route after running down a bike rider. And gets a measly £3,000 fine — the equivalent of just $4,800.

Bicycling hits the mainstream as leading British fashion designer Ted Baker unveils his line of haute bikewear. Though I’ll pass on the hip-brushing sport coat paired with above-the-knee shorts.

Zac Efron celebrates his birthday by biking through the streets of Amsterdam.

Sounds like fun. A new bike tour promises to take you through the former East Germany from Berlin to Dresden.

Bicycling is gaining popularity in Delhi, despite the city’s deadly streets.

Tragically, the New Zealand cyclist who rode into a pothole suffered a broken neck, but may owe his life to the dog who stayed with him and barked for help for seven hours. Now that’s a good dog.

Fall is tweed season, even in Jakarta, Indonesia, which hosted its first ever tweed ride — attracting even the Norwegian and Danish ambassadors.

 

And finally…

Maybe she’s got long ears. An Austrian cyclist warming up for a time trial is shot by a hunter who mistook her for a hare. ‘Tis the season, as zombies on bikes take over Key West.

And a new Aussie study shows how to benefit from wheelsuckers.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities, Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: Another reason to ride, as traffic congestion costs LA drivers; Flying Pigeon calls out Tom LaBonge

October 16, 2014 / / 2 comments

As if you needed another incentive to ride a bike.

The LA Weekly says the city’s traffic congestion costs motorists $5,700 a year, compared to an average of just $1,700 nationwide. And that’s in addition to the estimated $2,458 LA drivers lose due to bad roads.

On the other hand, traffic congestion doesn’t cost bike riders a dime. Although those bad roads can bust wheels and frames.

And bones.

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Writing for Flying Pigeon, Richard Risemberg says as if anti-Fig4All City Councilmember Gil Cedillo isn’t bad enough, CD4 Councilmember Tom LaBonge manages to insert himself into bike photo ops while blocking much needed bike safety projects.

Tom LaBonge intrudes his bulky self into every bike-related photo op anywhere in or near his district, often wearing his signature red sweater to catch the eye (and the cameras). But he has stopped the Fourth Street Neighborhood Greenway, is trying hard to stop the Lankershim Boulevard road diet, and stands stubbornly against a community-friendly Glendale/Hyperion bridge rebuild.

And now, Sixth Street in the Miracle Mile, a narrow four-lane that impatient scofflaws use as a fast alternative to Wilshire one block away, sometimes hitting speeds of 60 and 70 miles per hour…

Sixth Street was slated to receive a road diet, but—yes, you guessed right!—Tom LaBonge chose to “defer” it. His rationale? Road work on Wilshire might send more traffic onto Sixth. But his presumptions have led him into error: road diets, while they restrain top speeds, often smooth out traffic flow and result in quicker, if calmer, A to B transits of a street.

Something is seriously wrong when a single councilmember can derail already-approved road treatments designed by people actually qualified and paid to make those decisions.

If Mayor Garcetti really wants to do something about our dysfunctional city government, this would be a damn good place to start.

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In pro cycling news, the Astana cycling team risks losing its license for the pro tour after yet another rider is caught doping. Good thing the sport has cleaned itself up.

Meanwhile, VeloNews attempts to fit injured cycling scion Taylor Phinney for next year’s yellow jersey in the Tour de France, even though he’s still working on his comeback and has never ridden — let alone won — a single stage of the Tour.

Give the man a little time, already.

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Local

Metro moves forward with a mealy-mouthed, weak-ass Complete Streets policy.

Flying Pigeon hosts another of their popular Get Sum Dim Sum rides on Sunday.

The 2nd annual Long Beach AIDS Ride rolls on November 15th with rides of 40 and 70 miles, along with an eight mile family ride.

 

State

BikeSD reports bike and livability advocates in the Hillcrest neighborhood are subject to death threats.

San Francisco’s police investigate a series of attacks on bike riders in the city’s Panhandle.

 

National

A new government study confirms Millennials are driving less and biking and walking more.

A Kickstarter project promises jeans cut to accommodate the massive thighs of serious cyclists, which won’t always fit in regular jeans. A problem I once had, and sincerely hope I will again someday.

Grist gushes over the beautiful bike freeways in Minneapolis.

Three years ago, the NYPD recommended a mandatory helmet law for cyclists, but can’t be bothered to enforce traffic laws to protect them.

Nice. Atlanta’s working on a citywide network of protected bike lanes.

 

International

A Calgary writer explains why he rides in the road when there’s a bike path nearby.

Seriously? An Edmonton city councilor wants to discourage bike commuting by requiring licenses for anyone who rides to work.

The Guardian says bicycling is good for everyone; mass cycling could save the National Health Service £17 billion — the equivalent of $27 billion — over 20 years, and prevent 500 road deaths a year.

Britain’s Department for Transport calls for doubling cycling by 2025, but lacks the funding to do it.

Copenhagenize’s Mikael Colville-Andersen discusses how cities around the world are adapting to bike riders.

A group of cycling physicians call for more to be done to improve bike safety in Perth, but the equivalent of a three-foot law fails in West Australia.

 

Finally…

A Scot cyclist goes for an unplanned swim after swerving to avoid a dog. You thought LA potholes were bad — a New Zealand cyclist rides into a sinkhole and can’t get out; his dog stayed with him until help finally arrived.

And a road raging Kiwi cyclist goes off on the driver who rear–ended him following a roadside dispute; something tells me there are no innocent victims in this one.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Biking helps beat depression, and slowing down cars could increase life expectancy

October 15, 2014 / / One comment

Yet another benefit of bicycling. A Swedish study says muscles can protect against depression.

Meanwhile, a medical study worth revisiting concludes Americans could increase their life expectancy simply by driving slower.

Especially for those of us who have to share the road with them.

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Belated best wishes for Sukkot, which somehow slipped past me, for all those who observe it.

I’m reminded courtesy of an enterprising New York yeshiva student who delivers Judaism by bike through portable sukkahs mounted on pedicabs.

Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

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Local

A writer for KCET says as CicLAvia continues to grow, Angelenos do too.

Nine of the 14 SaMo city council candidates talk bikes with Santa Monica Next.

Seriously? A letter writer in the Daily Breeze (fourth item) says bikes don’t belong on the road any more than horses do; thanks to Margaret for the link.

 

State

A hearing was postponed for the allegedly intoxicated, meth hiding San Diego driver who ran down a group of cyclists, leaving one permanently paralyzed.

A Hesperia mother seeks justice for the still unsolved hit-and-run death of her bike riding son; Daniel Sanchez was killed after positioning himself to protect his date from an approaching pickup.

In a very bizarre case, a San Francisco cyclist sues after being arrested for riding with his infant in a Baby Bjorn carrier.

San Francisco police address a double parked car blocking a bike rider, but ignore vehicles parked in a bike lane. Evidently, the problem isn’t limited to the Bay, either.

Now that’s what I call a ciclovia, as Northern California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park goes car-free for the second time this year on Saturday.

 

National

The Bike League wants to know your big idea for bike advocacy.

Evidently, they take human life seriously in Hawaii, as a careless driver gets 10 years for drifting across a roadway and killing a bike rider. Note to West Hawaii Today: 66 years old is not elderly.

A local TV station explains how Seattle’s new bike share program works; the mayor is already considering expansion.

An NPR reporter biking through Texas discovers riding like a pro allows you to eat like a pig.

Despite a dramatic improvement in infrastructure, bicycling deaths in New York have doubled over the last year.

Evidently, a coat of purple paint is not enough to disguise a stolen New York Citi Bike.

Why do cities wait until it’s already too late before they get serious about bike and pedestrian safety?

 

International

An Edmonton writer says city officials should give up on bike lanes because no one is going to ride during the winter. Ignoring the fact that people bike year-round in cold weather cities around the world.

Turn out Harrison Ford is one of us, as he dons spandex and yes, compression socks for a spin around London.

Big hearted Brits donate over £3000 — nearly $5000 — after a bike is stolen from a charity auction.

Just heartbreaking. A driver was holding the hand of a cyclist he’d just hit to comfort the man until help arrived when they were both struck by another car.

The car carrying Australia’s premier nearly hits a cyclist “riding dangerously down the middle of the road.” Or in other words, someone who was most likely riding safely by taking the lane.

 

Finally…

I want to ride it. A Glasgow artist creates a human-powered rollercoaster — in effect a multilevel figure-eight velodrome. Caught on video: A stunt rider pulls a major endo on landing after a forward flip 72 feet in the air; then again, just riding that knife edge before the jump is enough to give me nightmares.

And would you pay $99 to avoid getting stuck at another red light?

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Morning Links: Record your bike’s serial number, cycling helps keep you safe during surgery, LACBC needs new ED

October 14, 2014 / / One comment

Good advice from Lifehacker, as they say to always keep your bike’s serial number handy in case of theft.

My suggestion is to take photos of your bike and the serial number with your cell phone, then email them to your yourself. That way, you’ll have copies in multiple places so you won’t lose or accidently delete them. And having a photo eliminates any risk of transcribing errors.

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There are countless benefits to bicycling. But who knew one of them is that riders and walkers are five times less likely to die during surgery?

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Local

Have experience leading a nonprofit? The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is looking for a skilled new Executive Director (pdf), as well as a part-time bookkeeper (pdf). A great opportunity to help build SoCal’s leading bike organization into one of the nation’s top bike advocacy groups.

Speaking of the LACBC, they’re hosting the first ever Firefly Ball at the end of this month to benefit the coalition and honor civic leaders who help make the city more bike friendly.

The Santa Monica Bike Center won this summer’s National Bike Challenge.

SaMo will host a Halloween themed Kidical Mass on Saturday, the 25th.

Kross-tober Fest brings cyclocross to Long Beach this Sunday.

 

State

A new two-mile bike path opens in La Mirada, part of a planned 66-mile loop around Orange County.

Palm Springs hosts a Cycledelic bike festival this Thursday to celebrate new bike lanes, a bike corral and Bike Fix-it station.

San Bernardino police are out on bike patrol, which proves popular with the public.

A bike rider was killed after being hit by several cars while riding salmon in the traffic lane on I-80 in Vacaville; no word on why he was on the highway, let alone riding the wrong way in traffic.

Cars will be banned from San Francisco’s lower Market Street by 2017, which will eventually feature raised cycle tracks. But why do you need a raised bikeway if there won’t be any cars?

 

National

Bike Radar offers five tips for beginning riders to avoid ruining a big bike ride.

Three Portland road diets prevent 37 crashes a year at a cost of just $500,000.

Bryce Canyon National Park plans a possible eight mile bike and pedestrian path.

Kansas get its first protected bike lane.

Shameful. An NYPD police investigation shows a bus driver failed to yield when he left crossed a cyclist, leaving a Swedish model brain dead. Yet he walks away without charges, while she doesn’t. And never will.

Take note LA: A New York Streetsblog report says implementing the city’s Vision Zero plan will require a major culture change, as the previous item makes painfully clear.

Ooh, scary. Philadelphia’s new bike vigilante is taking on scofflaw riders by posting posters.

 

International

A British cyclist is knocked off his bike with a piece of wood and punched repeatedly by two men before they ran off; no word on whether it was a robbery attempt, random violence or if they knew the victim.

Evidently, a British town has decided bikes are more dangerous than cars, as they inexplicably ban bicycles from the town center 24 hours a day, but allow cars for 12.

A French driver is charged with deliberately running over a cyclist and fleeing the scene following a dispute in Barcelona.

Newsweek discovers people in Copenhagen ride bikes, and cities around the world are trying to copy their success.

Bike advocates dismiss planned upgrades to Brisbane roads as mere window dressing.

An Aussie advocate says the bike versus car attitude has to stop.

 

Finally…

No, seriously. If you’ve got a bag full of meth hidden in your bike’s handlebars, put a damn light on it already. Turns out New York’s bike riding Senator Schumer takes calls while he’s riding, but will only stop riding if it’s from the president.

And a livid writer for the Daily Mail sputters that lycra louts must have license plates.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Morning Links: Tuskegee Airmen greet Ride 2 Recovery, Garden Grove opens streets, and stupid criminal tricks

October 12, 2014 / / 3 comments
 
Local

Over 200 riders, many vets recovering from serious injuries, completed the 450 mile UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery. And were joined by two of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen at the finish.

Boyonabike says it’s time for Pasadena to do more to make the streets safer for cyclists, because the three-foot law isn’t enough.

 

State

Garden Grove hosts its first Open Streets event, the second in Orange County in just two weeks; Bike Newport Beach calls it a smashing success.

A San Diego cyclist is seriously injured in a Sunday morning hit-and-run.

A very tongue-in-cheek San Jose letter writer complains that thoughtless bike riders add as much as 20 seconds to his daily commute. And keep reading for a typical windshield perspective comment from a county deputy.

 

National

A writer for the Business Insider explains what Americans don’t understand about bicycling, and why the US needs to copy the top bike cities in Europe.

Bicycling offers advice on how to deal with aggressive dogs. In my experience, the best approach is to give them an order to sit or go home in a loud, firm voice. Dogs are trained to respond to commands, so they’ll usually obey at least long enough to make your getaway.

A New York cyclist tells drivers not to be hypocrites in complaining about cyclists, because everyone in New York breaks traffic law. Meanwhile, the Times says everyone on the streets menaces everyone else.

A West Virginia letter writer complains about lost revenue from parking meters removed to make way for an under used bike lane.

Instead of building bikeways, Newport News decides to widen sidewalks for riders and walkers to share; never mind that sidewalk riding is more dangerous than riding in the street.

Nice. A South Carolina bicycling group pitches in to buy a three-wheeled tandem so a long-time member suffering from ALS can continue to ride with them.

 

International

A Canadian cyclist gets his $5000 stolen bike back, even if it cost him $400 to do it.

A UK engineer develops a lock to prevent the theft of quick release wheels.

An Aussie paper says the solution to scofflaw cyclists is properly designed, connected infrastructure.

 

Finally…

Stupid criminal tricks: A suspected Brit bike thief drowns after riding into a harbor to escape the police in a case of instant karma. If you have an outstanding warrant and carrying concealed weapons, put a damn headlight on your bike.

And if you’re planning to make your getaway by bike, wear glasses so a bystander can’t spray something into your eyes and you won’t ride into a police cruiser.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , ,

Weekend Links: A massive list o’links and a whopping videopalooza

October 10, 2014 / / Comments Off on Weekend Links: A massive list o’links and a whopping videopalooza

It’s a veritable link and video-palooza today on BikinginLA.

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Caught on video: This is what anti-bike harassment looks like, in all it’s brutal ugliness.

Here in LA, this video would be all the evidence needed to file — and win — a suit against the driver under the city’s cyclist anti-harassment ordinance.

Instead, the Kentucky cyclist, Cherokee Schill, was charged and convicted for the crime of riding a bike in the traffic lane. And the police look the other way when she’s threatened and harassed by angry motorists.

Which is a polite way of saying they don’t give a damn because they don’t think she belongs there to begin with.

Fortunately, she’s less than $200 away from the $10,000 needed to appeal her illegal conviction.

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Caught on video: Before Governor Brown signed the current three-foot passing law, he vetoed a much better version that would have allowed drivers to briefly cross the center line to pass cyclists when it was safe to do so, fearing endless carnage and lawsuits.

Even though the state is largely immune from being sued. But still.

Evidently, it’s not that big a deal, as this video from the Austin TX police department shows.

Any chance we could get Brown to watch this?

No, I didn’t think so.

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Caught on video: An irate woman berates a Chicago cyclist for riding on the sidewalk, nearly getting herself arrested in the process. And being unclear on the concept, tells him to ride in the street before wishing he gets hit by a car, which is probably why he was on the sidewalk to begin with.

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Caught on video: I missed this one earlier this year, as three cyclists experience a viscous goathead attack on the San Gabriel River trail. Thanks to David Wolfberg for the link.

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And one more while we’re at it.

Caught on video: Wolfpack Hustle offers video of the recent Huntington Park Gran Prix.

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Good advice, as a writer suggests three things all cyclists should do.

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Great idea. UCLA is hosting Bike (Re)cycling Day on Sunday the 19th; the university’s police and transportation departments will give out free abandoned bikes and parts to UCLA students, staff and faculty members.

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If you hurry, you may still be able to make one last training ride today before next Saturday’s first ever El Gran Fondo de Angeles Crest. And my apologies for not getting this notice up sooner.

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Local

Okay, so it’s not bike related. But in an apparent case of induced demand, travel times on the 405 freeway have increased a full minute following the $1 billion —that’s billion with a b — project to add an HOV lane through the Sepulveda pass.

Good news for Valley cyclists, as the second phase of the San Fernando Road bike path opens.

Turns out there will be three workshops to discuss the Las Virgenes Malibu Regional Bike Master Plan, in Malibu on the 21st, Westlake Village on the 22nd and Calabasas on the 23rd of this month.

The Pasadena Star-News calls out one of the San Gabriel Valley’s most bike unfriendly cities while endorsing Eric Sunada for Alhambra city council. Thanks to Wesley Reutimann for the tip.

Haven’t checked in with Cycling in the South Bay’s Seth Davidson for awhile; here he puts the great helmet debate in perspective.

 

State

Evidently, the DMV has reworked their website and made everything harder to find, including bike laws.

Around 4,000 people took part in last Sunday’s first ever Santa Ana ciclovia.

A San Diego writer says the new three-foot law will increase tensions with drivers, but gets it right in calling for more protected bike lanes. Another writer on the same site calls cyclists “scourges of the road,” while decrying that bikes aren’t required to stay three feet from drivers; seriously, I could spend all day just pointing out the fallacies in this piece of bikelash drivel.

Palm Springs gets its first bike corral.

Caltrans did the right thing for a change, building a pedestrian bridge and off-road bike path connecting Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties as part of a six-mile carpool lane project; I’m told it has dramatically improved safety for riders along the coast highway. Thanks to Alan for the heads-up.

Too typical. Santa Cruz creates up a sandwich sign to warn drivers to give cyclists three feet. Then puts it in the bike lane.

Yet another teenage driver faces charges in the hit-and-run death of a bike rider, this time in Milpitas.

A Monterrey couple ride 2,300 miles to attend their 50th reunion in Kansas.

San Francisco cyclists are the victims of violent assaults to steal the bikes they’re riding.

 

National

A blogger offers a great list of some truly badass biking women, including Elly Blue and our own Nona Varnado.

In the latest attempt to thin the herd by enabling more distracted drivers, a new app promises to let drivers use all their apps behind the wheel.

Despite that, it looks like the Feds are finally taking bike safety seriously, as the Department of Transportation releases new guidelines to make the streets safer for you and me. Maybe they could ban the use of onboard computer systems by drivers next.

A bike-friendly Portland convenience store finds sales exceed expectations, as 34% of customers arrive some way other than driving.

Unclear on the concept. An Ohio driver complains about cyclists riding in the traffic lane, then insists bike riders need to act like motorists.

Yet another caught on video, but one that can’t be embedded: A cyclist accuses a Penn university cop of using excessive force in a confrontation partially caught on camera.

After a New York driver runs down a cyclist from behind — and is found at fault by her own insurance company — she sues the victim for damaging her car. No, really.

Bike Snob introduces you to suddenly bike-friendly New York.

 

International

Here’s what’s wrong with London’s pie-in-the-sky proposals that would remove bike riders from the street.

“Old men in limos” are working behind the scenes to derail London’s plan for separated bike lanes.

The Daily Mail freaks out when Kerri Russell rides a bike sans helmet and talking on a cell phone.

A former British soldier recalls liberating a Dutch town in World War II by bicycle 70 years ago.

Sad to see Andy Schleck retire from pro racing at 29, after a career that started with such promise.

Okay, so maybe bicycling isn’t really the fastest form of transportation in Perth. Then again, the results might be a little different coming from a less biased source, no?

 

Finally…

Probably not a good idea to ask your Twitter followers to shoot another bike journalist, even if you’re not serious. Or especially if you are. If you profess to be a psychic, don’t channel a recently fallen rider, all the details of which could probably be found by picking up the local paper.

And one more benefit of bicycling — you probably won’t have a secret police file from scanning your license plates.

……..

Thanks to John Hall for his generous donation to help support this site.  

Category: Bike Cam Video, Bikes & the Law, Car vs Bike, Legal Cases, Morning Links, Road Rage / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Sign up online for BAC agendas and minutes, and LAPD cracks down on USC cyclists

October 8, 2014 / / One comment

Maybe LA city government really is becoming more open and accessible under Mayor Garcetti.

For the first time, you can sign up for reports and agendas from a long list of city agencies and committees — including the city’s long-neglected Bicycle Advisory Committee.

You’ll find them listed under the LADOT heading, where you can opt to receive BAC agendas and minutes, as well as other LADOT groups including the Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

And just below, you’ll find reports from the police and fire commissions. Both of which have a lot to say about your ability to ride legally and safely.

Thanks to BAC members David Wolfberg and Glenn Bailey for the heads-up.

……..

The LAPD cracks down on salmon cyclists at USC, calling it a last resort in response to a rising number of bike collisions on and around the campus.

Actually, the last resort appears to be campus officials acknowledging the high level of bike commuting students, and working with city officials to accommodate bike riders so they don’t feel a need to break the law.

There’s a reason UCLA is recognized as a bike-friendly campus. And USC isn’t.

……..

Local

Laemmle Theater president and LACBC board member Greg Laemmle says we need good policies and urban planning, and smart business practices to encourage bicycling and walking in LA County.

A 16-year old LA student transforms his life — and his formerly 250 pound body — by biking to school.

Flying Pigeon’s Richard Risemberg attends a glum Bicycle Plan Implementation meeting, which brightens considerably when he discovers new LADOT head Seleta Reynolds had been listening patiently for the whole meeting. Turns out she stopped by Tuesday’s BAC meeting, too.

Ride to celebrate the new San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, expected to be announced by President Obama on Friday; CORBA offers only conditional support for the designation.

Cyclists are invited to participate in a public workshop on October 22nd to develop a joint bike plan for Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu and Westlake Village.

A new two-mile stretch of bike path opens along Coyote Creek in La Mirada.

 

State

Inland riders are gearing up for Sunday’s Temecula Valley Century, with five rides ranging from 6.4 to 101.5 miles. None of which is a bike race, regardless of what the Press Enterprise might say.

Local merchants are on board this time for Salinas’ second ciclavia.

The SF Gate talks with the Sonoma County Gran Fondo cyclist felled by a squirrel through the spokes; he was lucky to get away with a concussion and minor facial fracture. And you don’t want to miss that amazing photo of the squirrel jammed in his wheel; then again, maybe you do. Thanks to Kent D for the second link.

 

National

HTC unveils a periscope shaped cam to compete with GoPro.

A Seattle website explains what happens after your bike is stolen. And it ain’t pretty.

Now that’s more like it. A Texas driver gets 18 years — yes, years — in jail for killing a cyclist while under the influence. He was caught attempting to hide the victim’s body after driving away with his headlights off when the bike rider tumbled into the bed of his truck following the collision.

A Kentucky teenager apologizes for throwing a cup of ice at a cyclist and goes for a ride with his victim; does it matter that a judge ordered him to do it?

There’s a special place in hell for someone who’d shoot a seven-year old Detroit girl out riding her bike; she was collateral damage in a car-to-car shootout.

Bad enough when people drive in the bike lane; worse when they get high and drive down a Michigan bike path.

Bikeyface complains about bike lane bike creeps.

We may have to worry about rabid LA drivers, but New Jersey cyclists have to deal with rabid coyotes; I’m not sure which is worse.

Many cyclists have ridden along the Hudson River, but not many have actually pedaled across it.

The Orlando paper endorses a plan for a continuous 275-mile bike trail from the Atlantic to the Gulf coasts.

 

International

London, Ontario cyclists reject the city’s new bike plan as too little, too late.

A Brit police and crime commissioner says cyclists should be forced to wear numbered plates big enough to be read at a distance so they can be identified and prosecuted when they break the law. After all, that’s worked so well to curb law-breaking by motorists, right?

Despite what the local authorities say, the jerks who stretched a cord across a British roadway at neck height aren’t morons, they’re terrorists attempting to injure or intimidate bicyclists and motorcyclists.

Good thing cycling has cleaned up it’s act. Otherwise, the Astana team could be in trouble after not one, but two riders test positive for EPO.

Tres shock! An Aussie study suggests cyclists break the law because they don’t feel safe on the streets.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: Extreme off-road Lego bike stunts. Yes, Lego. Evidently, they really are out to get us, as a car — a real one — crashes into a Brit bike shop, at least the 10th time it’s happened to the same store.

And a rare condition can give cyclists a third, non-functional testicle — including riders who weren’t born with two.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bikes & the Law, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: Automakers build in deadly distractions; CD15’s Buscaino multi-modals his way to work

October 8, 2014 / / 3 comments

It should come to no one’s surprise that a new study shows in-dash phone and computer systems are dangerously distracting to drivers (pdf).

And apparently, Apple’s Siri is the worst.

Automakers are rushing to keep drivers connected behind the wheel, from providing the turn-by-turn directions we’ve come to expect, to reading and dictating emails and text messages.

Never mind that, as the study above makes clear — and common sense suggests should been have readily apparent — the more distractions drivers face, the less aware they are of what is happening on the road around them. To the detriment of everyone with whom they share the road.

It’s bad enough we have to dodge texting drivers, without getting run down by a driver surfing for Chinese restaurants on the heads-up display.

The feds need to step in to prevent automakers from designing deadly distractions into the dashboards and center consoles of their cars.

Because vehicle manufacturers are clearly unable to resist the temptation themselves.

……..

Local

Streetsblog looks at plans for a new bike and pedestrian friendly Sixth Street Viaduct.

Caught on video: CD15 City Councilmember Joe Buscaino goes to work by bike, bus and train to discover what it’s like to be carless in LA. He’s turned out to be one of the most open-minded and supportive councilmembers when it comes to transportation alternatives, two-wheeled and otherwise.

An article reposted on City Watch examines new LADOT head Seleta Reynolds, who says LA is moving beyond auto-centrism. And that bikes are a big part of the solution.

 

State

Once again, a writer who just doesn’t get it calls for licensing cyclists and their bikes, and requiring riders to carry liability insurance. Never mind that most adult cyclists already have a drivers license and carry insurance through their auto policies, and that a license plate large enough to be easily read at a distance would be too large to fit on a bike.

Is it still hit-and-run if a drunk driver takes his victim with him? A San Francisco driver hits a pedestrian in a crosswalk and flees with his victim hanging out of the car’s sunroof, then attempts to cover up his drunken state by tossing booze out of the vehicle.

A woman is suing Sacramento for $3.5 million for allowing sidewalk riding after she’s hit by a cyclist while walking; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up.

 

National

A bike advocate says we should refocus on recreation, rather than biking to work, to get more people on bikes. How about if we just focus on making bike riding safer and more convenient for everyone, then let people decide for themselves how and where to ride?

The brother of fallen cyclocross champ Amy Dombroski is channeling his grief into creating more equity for female cyclists and empowering young women through cycling.

Seattle Bike Blog talks in depth with one of the countless survivors whose life has been dramatically changed by a collision with a driver who claimed she never saw him.

A Wyoming letter writer says yes, animal cruelty matters, but so do the lives of bicyclists.

A Chicago writer says bicyclists have rights too, even if some break the law. And no one notices the ones who don’t.

An Examiner writer says the unwarranted prosecution of Kentucky cyclist Cherokee Schill for riding — legally — in the traffic lane is bringing unwanted attention to a state with a backward reputation.

New York’s city council votes to lower the city’s default speed limit to 25 mph, something LA will need to address if it’s serious about the newfound commitment to Vision Zero.

 

International

Caught on video: The page may be in Spanish, but the message is clear, as a cyclist confronts a motorist for driving in the bike lane.

A Brit cyclist videos distracted drivers and turns them into the police. Meanwhile, a writer for the Telegraph says cycling vigilantes aren’t doing themselves any favors by capturing such videos of dangerous drivers, insisting that we’re more likely to break the law than motorists are.

UK police arrest a racist bike rider who assaulted a woman, verbally and otherwise. Jerk.

Authorities in the UK are also looking for rider who punched a woman in front of her children when she didn’t get out of his way. Ditto.

A Brit writer is heartbroken after giving up her favorite ride.

Looks like Formula One driver Fernando Alonso won’t be fielding a cycling team on the pro tour after all.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: If you drop your iPhone in traffic, let it go; or maybe, don’t ride like a maniac if you can’t see what’s in front of you. Streetsblog offers up a Neighborhood Council bike lane bingo card. And if you’re going to return a bike to the store, make sure you paid for it.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,
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