Archive for Morning Links

Morning Links: More criticism of the GHSA bike safety report; register now for SoCal state highway safety summit

October 28, 2014 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: More criticism of the GHSA bike safety report; register now for SoCal state highway safety summit

More responses to the Governors Highway Safety Association’s report on bicycle safety, which we discussed here yesterday.

Bike Portland digs deep into the stats to show the report just doesn’t add up. Streetsblog says despite what the report says, the bike boom has been fantastic for bike safety.

The Alliance for Biking and Walking says those scary numbers the report cited for California add up to just 6.3 deaths per 10,000 bike commuters in the state, and that the real scary data is how little states spend on bike and pedestrian safety.

The Bike League says the tone deaf press release doesn’t even mention speeding or driving behavior, and yes, bicycle safety is a national issue. And People for Bikes suggests that the safety in numbers effect means biking has been getting dramatically safer as Americans ride more.

On the other hand, KPCC’s Airtalk keeps it superficial in discussing the matter.

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The State of California is updating its Strategic Highway Safety Plan, described as a “holistic, statewide plan” that coordinates the efforts of a wide range of organizations to reduce traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on the state’s roadways.

There are currently over 400 stakeholders participating in the process, from state and federal agencies to police departments, regional transportation agencies, tribal governments and private individuals.

As part of the update process, a Southern California summit will be held to collect public input on how to improve safety on the state’s roadways.

November 12, 2014
8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
California State University, Los Angeles
Golden Eagle Student Union
 

Advance registration is required no later than November 5th at

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1821831/California-SHSP-Development-Summits

Thanks to Alan for the heads-up.

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Local

Metro gets the ball rolling on South LA’s much needed Rail to River bikeway.

A writer for City Watch bizarrely asks if LA’s walkable streets and bike lanes are only for the creative class, before arguing that the streets will be incomplete if they don’t include street food vendors.

Writing for Streetsblog, former city council candidate Odysseus Bostick asks if Los Angeles can fix roads and sidewalks, invest in rail and bike share, and complete other needed infrastructure projects without raising taxes. Good question.

 

State

After five long years, Newport Beach unanimously approved the new Bicycle Master Plan. Maybe this will finally provide some much needed safety improvements down there.

San Diego plans to change the way residents get to work in the next 21 years.

A San Jose State University art exhibit documents a student’s bike tour down Highway 1.

 

National

Auto-centric magazine Road & Track surprisingly admits America is losing the war on distracted driving.

A cyclist rides a single speed from LA to Charleston SC in 27 days to raise awareness of human trafficking.

You can have Kevin Costner’s bike from American Flyers for a cool $40 grand. No offense, but for that price you can have damn near any bike you want.

Great idea, as the University of Louisville gives over 1,000 students $400 vouchers redeemable at local bike shops when they agree not to buy a campus parking permit for at least two years. Are you listening, parking-challenged UCLA?

A DC website asks if city residents will be willing to make the unpopular decisions necessary for Vision Zero to succeed. LA needs to ask itself the same question, now that it’s finally official policy here.

 

International

Cycling Weekly offers advice on how to ride in the rain, which is about as much winter as we ever get around here.

British employers should do more to ensure bike safety, as a significant proportion of road deaths and injuries are caused by work vehicles.

London’s Express offers ten, uh, make that six tips for safe winter riding.

Cycling Central argues that women riders don’t need their own Tour de France, but should have a pro tour of their own somewhere else. Probably because that would make it easier for TV and the press to ignore.

Bicycling is even booming in the land of Putin, as Russian cyclists bring bike culture to Moscow.

Life is cheap in Singapore, as a driver gets a whopping two weeks in jail for the death of a cyclist. But at least he won’t be driving — legally, anyway — for the next three years.

 

Finally…

No bikes involved, as Michigan man in a zombie costume tries to scare passing motorists, with predictable results; police are still looking for the driver. Speaking of which, you’ll need this bike for the coming zombie apocalypse.

And Cycling in the South Bay’s Seth Davidson reports on the 2nd Annual South Bay Cycling Awards in his own inimitable style, tongue planted deeply in cheek.

 

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

Morning Links: Deadline for LACBC ED apps extended; Bike League politely abandons Kentucky’s Cherokee Schill

October 26, 2014 / / 5 comments

One quick note before we get started.

The LACBC has extended the deadline to apply for the Executive Director position (pdf). If you think you’re up to the challenge of leading one of the nation’s most vibrant and innovative bike advocacy organizations — or know someone who is — you’ve got just a few more weeks to apply.

……..

The League of American Bicyclists has decided not to actively support Cherokee Schill, the Kentucky cyclist arrested for the crime of riding her bike in the traffic lane.

After analyzing the unique qualities of the state’s antiquated traffic laws, they determined that an argument could be made either way. And since it doesn’t have national implications, they’d rather work to change the law than help fight in court for her right to ride.

Their reasoning makes perfect sense.

But I can’t help thinking they’re leaving her alone to face the legal lions, when they could easily step in to lend a hand.

Because moral support ain’t worth a damn on the streets. Or in the courts.

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Local

The lawyer for the South LA bike rider allegedly beaten by police offers his side of the story.

Bicycling magazine describes the merits of bike-friendly city #28 on their list, also known as the City of Angels.

Santa Monica College is the first California community college to be designated a Bicycle Friendly University.

 

State

California’s own — and now America’s only — Tour de France winner moves forward after 12 years of hell for taking a stand against doping in the peloton.

Laguna Beach riders get a new, continuous north-south route that avoids dangerous PCH.

The Newport Beach City Council is scheduled to vote on adopting the city’s new Bicycle Master Plan on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, friends and family come to the support of the wife of fallen cyclist Shaun Eagleson, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Newport Beach last week.

A teenage bike rider may have suffered serious head trauma when he was hit by a car in Phelan in San Bernardino County.

An estimated 10,000 people turn out for Santa Barbara’s second annual open streets event.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is going to the mattresses to stop scofflaw off-road riders in the Burton Mesa Ecological Reserve; thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

Mountain bikers compete in a 24-hour endurance race in Oroville.

 

National

Bicycling is the new wonder drug.

A new smart bike helmet promises to beam data on your heart rate, calories and performance to your cell phone.

Corvallis OR police are puzzled by a 100% increase in bike thefts over last year.

A Springfield MO man gets seven years in the death of a cyclist who was killed as the man’s girlfriend attempted to flee from him as he chased her through the streets of the town in a stolen car after flashing a gun. Sounds like he got off way too easy.

A Clarksville TN mountain biker wanted a challenging trail to ride, so he built one. Then got hired by the city to build more.

A Chicago cyclist is critically injured when he’s hit by a stolen semi-truck; the driver is arrested after fleeing the scene.

New York’s financially troubled Citi Bike is purchased by a real estate company that owns other bike share programs in North America and Australia.

 

International

I want to be like him when I grow up. A 76-year old UK track cyclist sets a world’s record in the over 75 class.

The Afghan Women’s National Cycling Team has Olympic dreams, despite the difficulties facing women — let alone women cyclists — in their home country.

Nearly 50% of Aussies would bike to work if they received financial incentives to do it.

Evidently, cyclists in Singapore face the same anti-bike clichés as riders in the US. And everywhere else, apparently.

Clearly, distracted driving isn’t just an American problem, as a Chinese bus driver faces criminal charges for killing an elderly bike rider while checking his cell phone. (Fair warning, this story includes video of the collision from the driver’s perspective — something you may not want to see. I know I didn’t.)

 

Finally…

If spandex impacts cyclists’ ability to observe stop signs, then it must affect drivers as well, since 80% of today’s clothes contain at least some of the material. No, seriously, when a highway patrol officer tells you to move your bike, don’t threaten him with a knife.

And in a brilliant idea, Edinburgh, Scotland bans cars from school zones in an attempt to improve safety, something that would undoubtedly cause parental rioting here.

 

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

Weekend Links: LAPD officers accused of beating South LA bike rider, SDSU police blame the victims in bike wrecks

October 24, 2014 / / 3 comments

An LAPD officer is accused of beating and kicking a bike rider in South LA.

According to the LA Times, 22-year old Clinton Alford was riding on the sidewalk on Avalon Blvd near 55th Street — something that’s perfectly legal in Los Angeles — on October 16th when a police car pulled up behind him and he was ordered to stop.

However, Alford kept riding, since he says the person failed to identify himself as a cop. After a brief pursuit, he voluntarily laid down on the street and put his hands behind his back, making no attempt to resist as officers restrained him.

That is, until another very large officer arrived on the scene. And immediately stomped Alford as the other officers held him down.

The officer then dropped to the ground and delivered a series of strikes with his elbows to the back of Alford’s head and upper body, sources said. Alford’s head can be seen on the video hitting the pavement from the force of the strikes, two sources recounted. Afterward, the officer leaned his knee into the small of Alford’s back and, for a prolonged period, rocked or bounced with his body weight on Alford’s back, the sources said. At one point, the officer put his other knee on Alford’s neck, a source said.

It gets worse.

The paper describes the officer kicking Alford’s head like a football, before several officers carried his limp body into a patrol car.

Alford was booked for drug possession and resisting arrest, and released on his own recognizance after pleading not guilty — likely to be tossed for a lack of probable cause in making the initial stop.

Meanwhile, the officers involved have been relieved of duty — with pay — pending an internal investigation.

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Oh please.

The campus police at San Diego State University say bike collisions are up in the area surrounding campus — and that it’s usually the cyclist’s fault. Oh, and those scofflaw cyclists cause psychological trauma to the poor drivers by getting blood on their bumpers.

No victim blaming there.

……..

Local

The LAFD is now the first fire department in the nation to post response times online; and yes, this matters, since your life could depend on how fast help arrives if you’re injured in a fall or collision.

LADOT is testing traffic signals that give pedestrians a head start before cars are allowed to cross the street; hopefully, they’ll try giving bikes the same four-second safety margin.

Calla Weimer — who made a detailed argument here for bike lanes on Westwood Blvd, which Councilmember Paul Koretz blithely ignored to placate wealthy homeowners — calls for more bike lanes and bike racks instead of increased parking at Metro stations (second letter).

Figueroa For All says Koretz’ fellow councilmember Gil Cedillo is putting politics over people by diverting two hundred grand from housing funds to pay for a new traffic signal at a dangerous intersection — when the same amount could pay for the entire already-funded road diet he killed for the same street.

Santa Monica will host a Halloween-themes Kidical Mass ride today, while the Santa Monica Spoke hosts next Sunday’s edition of the LACBC’s Sunday Funday ride.

Wounded vets will ride in Redondo Beach on Sunday, November 9th, the weekend before Veteran’s Day.

A local couple create what the Long Beach Post calls the ultimate guide to urban cycling.

 

State

Ford works with California-based Pedego to market an e-bike beach cruiser under their own moniker.

Calbike’s coming 241-mile bike tour will avoid parts of Newport Beach and Laguna Beach due to the dangerous conditions on the cities’ streets.

San Diego considers a one-mile bike path through congested Mission Valley.

The San Luis Obispo sheriff’s department is asking for donations of unwanted children’s bikes to be repaired and given to kids this Christmas.

San Francisco thinks cargo bikes have a role to play in improving disaster response.

 

National

USA Cycling has three job openings at their Colorado Springs CO headquarters.

VeloNews talks to a recovering Taylor Phinney.

Seattle’s mandatory helmet law could hinder the city’s new bike share program.

In another case of cops gone wild, Idaho police detain five BMX riders for the crime of being in a skate park 12 minutes after closing time — then illegally tell them they don’t have any legal rights when one tries to record the confrontation.

A road raging Kansas driver intentionally veers into a cyclist, knocking him into a ditch, then turns around and rams him again before fleeing the scene. All in front of a sheriff’s deputy and two witnesses who saw the whole thing.

A Minneapolis cyclist says a new protected bike lane could make things more dangerous for bike riders, and says there’s little research on the subject — ignoring studies that show protected bike lanes reduce injuries up to 90%.

 

International

An 85-year old Vancouver man regains his mobility with an e-bike.

A UK cyclist is threatened with a knife after a man demands to “borrow” his bike, then refuses to give it back.

A road raging Brit driver is convicted of intentionally running into a cyclist.

Three men are convicted for stealing over 500 bikes from British railway stations.

Graeme Obree and son plan to go after the pedal-powered land speed record once again next year.

A Vienna, Austria industrial design student has invented a self-filling bike water bottle that literally sucks moisture from the air.

 

Finally…

Lance can’t even ride in a non-competitive Gran Fondo run by his fellow ex-doper friend. A London website takes the city’s bike bashing Baroness to task for her vigilante violence. And over 91% of UK residents insist that cyclists aren’t a menace on the roads.

 

Category: Bikes & the Law, Law Enforcement, Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: Bike Hub coming to Union Station, Laguna Beach addresses bike safety, and the ultimate SMIDSY

October 23, 2014 / / One comment

 

Local

Metro gets ready to start work on the new Union Station master plan, including a $1.2 million bike hub expected to open in 2017.

Bike lane construction will close one lane in each direction on PCH in Malibu today.

Hermosa Beach plans to build a 100 square foot concrete bike parking plaza near the pier. But they want to put it on the sand, which some locals — reasonably — object to.

Join Metro, CICLE, Mujeres Unidas and the LACBC for Pedal to the Port: A Two-Wheeled Wilmington Halloween ride this Saturday.

Cyclocross Magazine reports on last weekend’s Krosstoberfest.

 

State

Laguna Beach addresses recent cycling fatalities by voting to install a bike lane and bike routes marked by sharrows and signage, as well as a beefed up police education and enforcement campaign.

No surprise, sadly, as Palm Desert cyclists have to inform the local police investigator about the new three-foot passing law after one of their group members is hit by a car.

Motorists are seldom even injured in bicycling collisions. But in a rare and tragic case, a Sacramento cyclist is killed, along with the occupants of the SUV that hit her, when the vehicle hits a tree and bursts into flame after ramming the rider. Thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up.

 

National

HuffPo says bike cams are changing things for cyclists everywhere. And that the video really does hold up as evidence in court.

The anti-bike New York Post naturally applauds John McEnroe’s rant against “lunatic” cyclists in Central Park.

The bike-friendlier New York Times looks at high-tech fashion for bike riders. And mentions Betabrands, which a Bay Area website calls the Brooks Brothers of bike clothes.

Caught on video: A Georgia cyclist wants a driver prosecuted for attempting to run him off the road; I’ll have to take his word for it since I couldn’t get the video to load.

 

International

That Brit cyclist shown on video getting kicked off his bike is being blamed for instigating the attack by boxing another rider in. But let’s be clear: Violence against another rider — or human — is seldom, if ever, justified, no matter how much you think they might deserve it at the time.

Ooh, scary. UK police are searching for a road raging bike rider who terrified a motorist by slapping the car’s window and shouting abuse at the driver. British drivers must frighten easily.

Of course. Dutch retailers use bike messengers for same day delivery.

 

Finally…

The 91-year old British baroness who whacked a scofflaw cyclist with her purse a few years ago has done it again. A first look at what a new Chinese smart bike could look like.

And talk about Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You. This is taking the standard excuse of “I just didn’t see him or her” to the extreme, as a Louisiana bike rider is hit by a legally blind driver with a suspended license.

Wait, who gave her a license to begin with?

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Scroll down — or click here — if you missed yesterday’s massive late morning link fest.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

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.

……..

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.

……..

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.

……..

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.

……..

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.

……..

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.

……..

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.

……..

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.

……..

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.

……..

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?

……..

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: , , ,
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