Archive for Morning Links

Morning Links: Making up the law on PCH, Olin ghost bike goes missing, and Canyon Lake cyclist critically injured

Once again, a sheriff’s deputy is caught on video making up traffic law on PCH.

For anyone unclear on the concept — law enforcement included — bike riders are allowed to ride in the traffic lane under California law, and allowed to take the full lane if it’s not wide enough to safely share with a motor vehicle.

And there is nothing in state law banning cyclists from riding two or more abreast as long as they stay in a single, non-sharable lane on a multi-lane roadway.

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Someone has taken the ghost bike for fallen cyclist and Napster CEO Milt Olin, despite efforts of the City of Calabasas to maintain it. And still no word about the results of the investigation into Olin’s death or whether the sheriff’s deputy who killed him will face charges.

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More bad news from the Inland Empire, as a 15-year old Canyon Lake cyclist suffers critical injuries after broadsiding an SUV at the base of a steep descent. The impact was hard enough that the vehicle’s airbags deployed.

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Local

Some of DTLA’s larger new buildings feature more bike than car parking.

New LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds says it’s time to slow LA traffic to a more human scale, and may bring big changes to the city.

Meanwhile, LADOT has completed 50 miles of road diets in the last 15 years, and has finally budgeted for a citywide network of bicycle wayfinding signs.

Discovering the Ballona Creek bike path.

Sounds like fun. Metro and CICLE sponsor a Downtown LA Film History Ride on July 19th; maybe they’ll visit the Spring Street green lane gutted at the request of Hollywood filmmakers.

 

State

Newport Beach unveils the city’s draft bicycle plan, which will be under discussion when the Bicycle Master Plan Oversight Committee meets on Monday.

Nice. San Clemente approves a two-way bike path along the coast highway, as well as bike lanes for riders who want to remain on the roadway.

Seriously? San Diego is the only California city named to USA Today’s list of the 10 best cities for bicycling. No mention of Long Beach, Santa Monica, San Francisco, Davis, Palo Alto or any other CA towns.

 

National

Your bike is finally welcome on Amtrak.

Fading bike lanes send a message of disrespect from motorists.

A bike safety educator takes issue with the Bike League’s recent report showing 40% of bicycling fatalities over a 12-month period involved hit-from-behind collisions; thanks to Karen Karabell for the heads-up.

The feds are investigating a sabotaged Aspen CO bike trail after someone hid nail-studded boards on the path. Except it’s the Bureau of Land Management doing the investigating, not the FBI.

Life is cheap in Colorado, as a hit-and-run driver who killed a cyclist from my hometown gets four years probation and one year of work release.

A new deal could save New York’s Citi Bike bike share program.

 

International

How can you tell when police investigations are biased against bike riders? When they conclude cyclists are at fault in over three-quarters of all bike collisions.

The key to encouraging alternative transportation is to make private cars the least efficient mode of transport.

Maybe wheel-suckers don’t suck after all. Drafting cuts wind resistance up to 49%, while reducing drag for the lead rider by 5%. And it turns out shaving your legs really does make you faster.

A UK man is riding across Africa following the death of his parents from cancer.

Bicycling is booming in Bangkok, even if it puts bike riders in the danger zone.

 

Finally…

An LA cop watches as a red light-running driver threatens a pedestrian, then blames the walker for blocking the road. And no matter how mad you may be, your bike deserves better than to be thrown onto the hood of a driver’s car; maybe they can charge him with bicycle cruelty.

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Just a quick reminder. Bikes are usually the most efficient way to get in and out of your local fireworks display. Just ride with extra care, because drivers will be focused on finding that elusive parking space or beating the crowd home instead of looking for you.

Morning Links: Welcome new LADOT GM, and German police ticket one-armed man for having just one brake

A round of applause for newly approved LADOT head Seleta Reynolds, following her confirmation by the full city council today.

Now, will she please get to work on getting bike lanes on Westwood, Lankershim and North Figueroa, as well as that long-promised Bicycle Friendly Street on 4th Street?

Pretty please?

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Local

This weekend’s LACBC Sunday Funday ride travels from City Hall to see Michael Parker’s The Unfinished.

Cyclists are gearing up for Wolfpack Hustle’s Civic Center Crit on July 12th.

A Santa Clarita cyclist say no other city can come close to their bike trail network. Meanwhile, a sixth suspect has been arrested in a string of armed robberies on those same bike paths.

 

State

Newport Beach unveils the city’s draft bicycle plan.

Huntington Beach police use Facebook to bust a thief caught on film stealing a bike.

A Marin woman swears she didn’t have anything to do with the theft of 130 bikes recently recovered by police.

 

National

Fox News ranks the five safest cities for cyclists. And is anyone shocked to learn Los Angeles is not on the list?

A new bike radar system promises to give you the speed and distance of vehicles approaching from the rear, while alerting drivers to your presence.

Oklahoma City will add 62 miles of new bike lanes, after installing 70 in 2012.

A Minnesota cyclist is killed by a cell phone-using driver while towing her children in a bike trailer; fortunately, the two girls were not seriously injured.

A New Orleans women’s bike collective will ride in protest of the dangers female riders face when traveling home alone at night, after several recent incidents.

 

International

A UK cyclist warns that bike trailers can be deadly to your dog.

A British rider is killed descending France’s famed Alpe D’Huez; oddly, the driver who hit him was a British tourist, as well.

A Fresno paper says this year’s Tour de France is controversial; no more than usual, really. Meanwhile, Colorado’s Peter Stetina hopes to help lead BMC’s Tejay van Garderen to victory.

And actually, this isn’t the first time women have competed in the Tour de France.

 

Finally…

German police apologize for ticketing a cyclist for only having one hand brake on his bike after realizing he only has one arm.

 

Morning Links: CD5’s Paul Koretz’ credibility questioned; CABO president calls bike lane advocates Uncle Toms

Westside councilmember Paul Koretz seems to be catching it from all sides lately.

Just days after many bicyclists — yours truly included — reacted negatively to his call for slashing greenhouse gases after killing bike lanes on Westwood Blvd, the UCLA Bicycling Academy falls just short of calling the councilmember a liar.

Consulting Economist Calla Wiemer writes that Koretz appeared before the Westwood South of Santa Monica Homeowners Association recently to explain his decision to kill the bike lanes, after promising the same group last year that the city would study them.

The Councilmember offered two justifications for the cancellation. One was that he realized that incorporating bike lanes into Westwood Boulevard would only make the situation more dangerous. The other was that he recognized an “overwhelming consensus of the community” in opposition. In light of these considerations, he determined that regardless of any LADOT findings, he would not approve bike lanes for Westwood Boulevard. There was thus no point wasting time with a study.

Yet as Wiemer explains, the bike lanes would have improved safety on one of the city’s most dangerous streets for bike riders, while moving riders out of the way of impatient motorists.

In fact, I’m told the safety portion of the study Koretz cancelled was virtually complete when he pulled the plug, and would have shown that the proposal would have no negative impact on safety — something he undoubtedly knew, despite proclaiming just the opposite as a justification for killing the project.

Which could explain his timing in killing the study last year before the results could be released.

As for his other excuse,

Koretz’s second justification for canceling the LADOT study was an ostensible “overwhelming consensus of the community” in opposition. The hundreds of riders who brave Westwood Boulevard daily on bikes would surely be surprised to discover the ease with which their interests can be overwhelmed in the view of the Councilmember. Moreover, those in favor of bike lanes extend well beyond the cycling community, or even the would-be cycling community taken to encompass those who would like to ride Westwood Boulevard but are deterred by present conditions. All who drive Westwood Boulevard regularly have the experience of getting stuck behind cyclists and wishing them out of the way. For motorists too, then, bike lanes are the answer….

With support of bike lanes for Westwood Boulevard so much in evidence, an “overwhelming consensus” in opposition would require a counterforce of a scale difficult to imagine. UCLA is, after all, the largest employer in Los Angeles after government and contributes $12.7 billion a year to the local economy. To understand the influences at work on the Councilmember, a group of UCLA students filed a public records request for all communications of the District 5 Council office pertaining to bike lanes. Covering the period February 24, 2010 to November 22, 2013, the file runs to 1035 pages. It is tough to read through all this material let alone infer any consensus from it. Views are presented on both sides of the issue with a relatively small number of people dominating the input. The most vocal opposition comes from the leadership of the Westwood South of Santa Monica Homeowners Association.

One problem with this whole scenario is that the few who run the WSSM HOA carry such disproportionate weight in the Councilmember’s assessment of public opinion. Another problem is that a group constituted on the basis of homeownership in a diverse neighborhood of single family homes and condominiums, young and old, cyclists and non-cyclists would take such a strident position on bike lanes. As a member of this homeowners association myself, I am an indication of the range of opinion that exists in the neighborhood with regard to bike lanes.

It should be deeply troubling to anyone that a single councilmember can, let alone would, derail the democratic process to satisfy an unelected homeowner’s group — not even the Neighborhood Council elected to represent all those who live, work and shop in the area, rather than just the privileged few who can afford homes in the area.

The late Dale Carnegie once wrote that there are two reasons for anything a person says or does — a reason that sounds good, and the real reason.

Koretz has given us two reasons that sound good, but don’t stand up to even the most basic scrutiny.

Which leaves us to wonder just what his real reason is.

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Recently we discussed CABO’s opposition to AB 1193, a popular bill before the state legislature that would legalize protected bike lanes in California, which are currently prohibited under restrictive state law.

Jim Baross, president of the California Association of Bicycling Organizations, wrote in response that the group didn’t oppose the lanes, but simply wanted to maintain standards that he said would ensure their safety.

Yet the following comment from Baross, left on the Cycling in the South Bay blog in response to a story about harassment from motorists on PCH, doesn’t sound like someone who supports bike lanes, protected or otherwise.

It is so similar it’s difficult not to menton (sic) the similarity to racists’ treatment of those they consider not to belong – though nothing nearly as pervasive or violent; bicyclists are not lynched, but we are certainly being discouraged from exercising our rights – equal or less than equal. Disturbing to me is the Uncle-Tom response seeking, in effect, separate and usually inferior facilities – the back of the bus may be safer and using shoulder space may be more comfortable, bit (sic) it shouldn’t be forced on anyone by harrasment (sic) or misapplication of laws.

He’s got a valid point that no one’s choice of where to ride should be forced on them at the end of a bumper.

But to call anyone who wants safe infrastructure that doesn’t require us to share the lane with motorists an Uncle Tom couldn’t be more offensive.

Whether to bicycling advocates who disagree with his apparent opposition to anything but the same vehicular cycling approach that has stymied the growth of bicycling for the past 40 years, or to those who have suffered from real racism for the last 300.

Jim, you’ve got some serious explaining to do.

Thanks to Bike SD’sSam Ollinger for finding the comment.

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Local

The Cypress Park Neighborhood Council meets tonight to discuss the already approved, funded and shovel-ready North Figueroa road diet and bike lanes, inexplicably halted by CD1 Councilmember — and apparent Koretz emulator — Gil Cedillo.

It only took two years, but a dangerous intersection on the Expo Bikeway has finally been fixed.

Yet another stolen bike, this time in Echo Park.

This is what an unsafe pass looks like captured from behind; thanks to topomodesto for the link.

More on LA Streetsblog’s winning night at the SoCal press awards.

 

State

A Federal court jury awarded $1.9 million to the parents of a cyclist shot by Indio police. No surprise, as this case stunk from the beginning.

A Petaluma bike building project helps steer kids from a life of crime.

A St. Helena columnist questions whether society is best served by sentencing a driver convicted of killing a cyclist in a left cross to prison. I can’t answer that question; I just know that people will continue to die on our streets until we start taking traffic crime seriously.

 

National

Bicycling says you need to lube more than just your chain.

A new national association of bicycling educators has been formed; thanks to Karen Karabell for the heads-up.

New rechargeable bike light allows you to light the road and recharge your cell at the same time.

Ninety-four percent of Oregon cyclists stop for red lights, compared to up to 77% of drivers who break the speed limit.

It’s been a bad year for cyclists in central Wyoming, as a rider from New York is killed while turning left across a highway. A letter writer suggests the solution is to let cyclists ride salmon; uh, no.

A Wisconsin writer says go ahead and ride to work, but buy a waterproof messenger bag first. And never try to race the rain.

A group of bystanders lift a taxi off an elderly New York bike rider.

 

International

A heartless UK thief steals a bike that was left to a woman after her father was killed in a plane crash.

Most Brits think the county’s roads are too risky for bicyclists; thanks to Jim Pettipher for the heads-up.

Scot pro David Millar is booted from his team for this year’s Tour de France.

Belgium’s soccer team prepares to lose to play the US in the World Cup by going for a leisurely bike ride.

 

Finally…

When you’re on parole and carrying meth, ammunition and a practice mortar round on your bike, don’t give police an excuse to stop you.

And guess who doesn’t think the doping investigation that brought down Lance Armstrong was good for cycling? That’s right, Lance.

 

Morning Links: Streetsblog scores at the LA press awards; West Hills bike shop gutted in weekend fire

Congratulations to Streetsblog LA for being named Best Group Blog at the 56th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards.

And yes, that’s my name on there, too, thanks to my occasional role as guest writer and editor last year.

Photo shameless stolen from Damien Newton's Twitter account.

Photo shameless stolen from Damien Newton’s Twitter account.

The site also scored a third place award for best multimedia package, and Streetsblog’s Sahra Sulaiman took second place awards for best online journalist and best news photo.

While I’m honored to have my name on the award, Sulaiman, Brian Addison, LA Streetsblog founder Damien Newton, editor Joe Linton and the other members of the Streetsblog team are the real rock stars behind Southern California’s best source for transportation news.

I’m just honored they let me play in their sandbox from time to time.

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Local

Cycling in the South Bay discovers taking the lane on PCH through the ‘Bu works fine when you’re riding in a group, not so much when you’re on your own.

West Hill’s popular Spoke N’ Wheels Bicycles is out of business for now following an apparent electrical fire that gutted the store.

A pretty graphic. Until you realize it’s a heat map of Los Angeles bicycling crashes — and only those that get reported.

 

State

A new law could save our cities by replacing Level of Service as the standard for traffic flow.

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition teaches Silicon Valley shuttle bus drivers how to drive around bike riders.

If you build it, they will ride. Marin County ridership is up 66% after the county invests $28 million in new infrastructure.

 

National

The Bike League examines bike share’s gender gap.

Iowa sets an official policy to reduce traffic fatalities in the state to zero, after suffering 127 traffic deaths so far this year.

A Michigan teenager with cerebral palsy returns home from his first bike ride — a 250 mile journey across the state.

Indiana will now allow cyclists to ride through red lights that don’t change after two minutes.

 

International

An Ottawa writer says the city still isn’t safe enough for cyclists. Then again, name one city on this continent that is.

UK’s Mirror looks at the recognition finally swirling around Yorkshire cycling legend Beryl Burton.

A writer for the Telegraph decries snobbish cyclists who place themselves above other riders.

Bicycling lists this year’s Tour de France contenders.

Christchurch, New Zealand cyclists are hit by a car on an average of one every three days.

 

Finally…

Someone has taken bike porn to a new extreme by hacking Madrid’s new e-bike share system. And a cute video from British retail chain Halfords introduces the Bike Whisperer.

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Weekend Links: Environmental hypocrisy rears its ugly head in Westwood; CICLE gets a new director

I’ve been seriously under the weather the past few days, which means we’ve got a lot of news to catch up on.

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No hypocrisy here, as Westside City Councilmember Paul Koretz proposes slashing greenhouse gas emissions in the city.

This after unilaterally killing proposed bike lanes on Westwood Blvd.

And he somehow seems to think the city can cut those emissions by 80% without cutting back on car traffic. Or even mentioning cars in his announcement, let alone offering safe alternatives to driving to reduce traffic congestion.

So let’s be honest.

The only way Los Angeles will ever see a significant reduction in emissions or traffic congestion is to provide residents with viable alternatives that will allow those who choose not to drive to leave their cars at home.

And with his single-handed veto of the Westwood lanes, Koretz has shown himself to be one of the biggest obstacles to accomplishing that.

But at least he talks a good game.

……..

Sad to see Dan Dabek leave after doing so much to revitalize the organization. But congratulations to Vanessa Gray as the new Director of C.I.C.L.E.

Sounds like the group will be in good hands.

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Big news from Metro this past week, as the agency antes up $3.7 million to expand CicLAvia-style open streets events throughout LA County. But Long Beach sees just one of two proposed events funded.

Meanwhile, Metro finally adds active transportation representatives to the agency’s Technical Advisory Committee, which should bring a better voice for bicyclists to LA County’s leading transportation authority.

And preliminary plans are in the works for the long-delayed rail connection to LAX, which will include a plush new station connected to the Green and Crenshaw lines, with a mile-plus people mover leading to the airport. Maybe those new TAC members can push for a bike center to be included in the plans to finally make it practical for employees and passengers to ride to LAX.

And Metro honors Steven Nancarrow for transforming his life through bicycling.

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Laguna Beach’s Coastline Pilot offers a sad remembrance of fallen cyclist John Colvin; tragically, both his wife and daughter drove by the collision scene only to discover later that the victim was their own loved one.

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Local

Messenger bag maker Timbuk2 will open their first LA-area store across from Linus Bikes on Abbot Kinney next month.

After a lot of pushing from Richard Risemberg, among others, the LA River bike path finally gets wayfinding signs through Elysium Valley.

Unlike some councilmembers we could mention, CD15’s Joe Buscaino has turned out to be surprisingly supportive of bicycling, including naming Watts Cyclery as his Business of the Month.

Better Bike offers an update on the embattled proposal for bike lanes on Santa Monica Blvd in the Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills; no action is expected before September. Meanwhile, Beverly Hills NIMBY’s try to raise fears of out-of-town cyclists destroying their precious parks; I wonder if they also object to all those out-of-town motorists besmirching their boulevard and fouling their air?

Curbed misses the mark, as maps based on Strava data don’t show the best bike routes through the city, just the most popular ones for riders who use Strava.

Celebrate Damian Kevitt’s birthday in North Hollywood on July 14th, with a party benefitting Finish the Ride.

A local writer tells cyclists to get off the sidewalk and stop riding salmon.

 

State

After a successful introduction in Corona del Mar, new bike racks are coming to OC’s Balboa Island.

Bike Newport Beach rolls out the first installment of a bootleg bike master plan to replace the long-delayed official one.

Cyclists, joggers and equestrians jockey for space in a Bakersfield culvert.

Streetsblog offers an update on bike and transportation-related bills in Sacramento, with things looking good so far. Meanwhile, bills to battle hit-and-run move forward; Santa Monica offers its support, as well.

 

National

How many bike riders does it take for the oft-cited safety in numbers effect? According to a new study from the University of Colorado-Denver, the answer is 200.

More on that study showing drivers give bike riders in bike lanes more space when passing.

Good news from injured cycling scion Taylor Phinney, whose recovery is ahead of schedule.

As Spokane becomes more bike-friendly, cyclists still face harassment on the roads.

Chicago cyclists get the nation’s first bike footrest.

A DC TV station offers 13 tips every bike rider should remember to avoid bike theft; good advice, since we seem to be suffering a rash of them lately.

Virginia’s three-foot passing law takes effect July 1st; our won’t be enforced until mid-September.

 

International

Calgary cyclists face criticism for bombing down a busy highway.

Is Britain on the verge of becoming a bicycling nation?

A bike path in Ireland’s County Limerick sees a big boost after a visit by Kim and Kanye.

This year’s Tour de France will pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of WWI.

Former world champ Thor Hushovd prepares to call it quits at the end of this season after suffering from mononucleosis.

Over 10,000 Moscow cyclists will ride in support of better bicycling infrastructure.

South African cyclist sells everything he owns to ride through 70 countries on all seven continents.

 

Finally…

A Brit writer says it’s irresponsible to encourage cycling on the country’s dangerous roads; after all, there’s no point in trying to make those roads any safer. And don’t swear at a group of children in a crosswalk, especially if you’re the jerk who jumped the light. Just don’t.

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On a personal note, before anyone gets too concerned, my diabetes in under control. Despite being told by my doctors it would be impossible, I’ve managed to get my blood sugar levels down to the normal levels without insulin; in fact, I’m having more of a problem with low blood sugar these days. 

On the other hand, I appear to be having a bad reaction to one or more of the medications that have helped me get things under control, which has knocked me on my ass in recent days and left me unable to do much more than try to stay awake long enough to watch the World Cup from the relative discomfort of my couch.

Hopefully, they’ll get my meds adjusted soon.

And this too shall pass. 

 

Morning Links: Gfunk in Long Beach, Complete Streets in Pasadena and a road raging Canadian goose

Whew.

We’ve got an exceptionally long list of bike links from here in LA and around the world. So settle in for some serious Thursday clicking.

Just don’t even think of bothering me between 9 and 11 am.

No, seriously.

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Local

The Daily News says Seleta Reynolds is the right choice to get LA moving as head of LADOT, while Streetsblog says the City Council Transportation Committee gives her an enthusiastic thumbs up, as well.

The LA City Council votes to study placing an eight-mile bike path in the bed of the LA River.

Boyonabike says Pasadena could be on the brink of adopting a complete streets plan.

Long Beach’s protected bike lanes need protected intersections, as well. Meanwhile, the Tuesday night Gfunk ride brings out the funky nocturnal side of SoCal’s most bike friendly city.

 

State

The Orange County Transportation Authority hosts a meeting to discuss a countywide bicycle network.

A writer for the Coastline Pilot asks why Laguna Beach continues to tolerate bike and pedestrian deaths. Good question. Then again, why does any city — including LA?

BikeSD calls for a Vision Zero for our neighbor to the south.

A 77-year old Newbury Park resident leads a group of older riders on a 3,000 mile adventure of a lifetime.

San Francisco installs bike lockers in city-owned parking garages; we need some of that here.

Proposed legislation to allow protected bike lanes in California comes up for an important committee hearing today; the bill is sponsored by Calbike, but opposed by CABO for reasons they insist make sense to them. Meanwhile, Calbike offers their monthly report, including the status of current bike bills and bad news for bikes in the state budget.

Marin County investigators recover 130 stolen bikes.

After police refuse to help, a Sacramento-area man steals his stolen bike back.

 

National

The National Transportation Safety Board recommends requiring side guards on semi-trucks to keep cyclists and pedestrians from being crushed underneath.

A Kickstarter project is raising funds to build the world’s fastest bike.

A road raging Ohio driver assaults a cyclist riding with his son before his unoccupied truck crashes into another vehicle; of course, the driver insists he did nothing wrong.

It takes a real jerk to steal 15 bikes from a Special Olympics competition.

Two Dallas women are riding 3,000 miles to raise awareness about ovarian cancer.

A New York reporter insists the key to reducing traffic deaths is to keep those damn bicyclists and pedestrians out of the way of the poor, beleaguered motorists.

 

International

A Canadian rider has a near-non-death experience, otherwise known as a faceplant in traffic.

Caught on video: After an Ontario cyclist is nearly turned into road kill by a passing truck, the idiot brigade questions whether bike riders belong on the road. Although I have to admit, that shoulder looks pretty spacious and comfortable from here.

An Irish car passenger rolls down his window and pushes a 13-year old cyclist off his bike. Schmuck.

Scotland’s road deaths drop to a record low, despite increases in bike, motorcycle and car fatalities; only pedestrian deaths actually declined.

Cheng Ji is set to become the first Chinese rider in the Tour de France.

 

Finally…

At least we only have to deal with angry drivers, as an Ottawa rider is attacked by a road raging evil-eyed goose. And a Bay Area father politely asks for his bike back after he leaves it unlocked on the sidewalk overnight.

 

Morning Links: Segways and scooters banned from Venice Boardwalk — and possibly the Venice bike path

Good news.

I think.

If I’m reading this right, the LA City Council not only voted unanimously to ban Segways on the Venice boardwalk, but on the LA segments of the adjacent Marvin Braude bike path through Venice, as well.

And since the ban applies to other “multiple-wheeled motor scooter-type devices“ and “multiple-wheeled electric personal assistive mobility-type devices,” it should also apply to those damn rental e-tricycles too often piloted by clueless tourists too drunk, and children too young, to operate them safely.

Let’s hope that’s really the case.

Because it could make the crowded bike path safer for the bike riders it was designed for, as well as the pedestrians who use it anyway, despite the numerous bike-only stencils on the pathway.

And don’t even get me started on that one.

It’s a lost cause.

Note: I have an email in to someone at Councilmember Mike Bonin’s office, who represents the Venice area, for clarification. I’ll let you know what I find out.

Update: An article from the Santa Monica Mirror says Segways and similar devices will still be allowed on the bike path.

Update 2: Just heard from Paul Backstrom at Bonin’s office, who says Segways are still allowed on the bike path; presumably, that extends to other mobility devices, as well.

………

Local

Bike liability lawyer — and BikinginLA sponsor and sometimes guest writer — Jim Pocrass answers reader’s questions on Streetsblog; first up is advice on what to do following a collision, whether or not you’re in it.

Not all road diets reduce parking; some can actually increase parking spaces.

New LADOT head Seleta Reynolds faces her first committee confirmation hearing today.

Ovarian Psychos are hosting a bike-in movie night to screen two ghost bike documentaries in Boyle Heights tonight.

Another Perfect Day has a near perfect day at the LA River Ride. Meanwhile, Greenway 2020 is working to complete the LA River Bike path from the Valley to Long Beach within the next six years.

Longtime Santa Clarita resident, cyclist and 2014 River Ride participant Kevin Korenthal applies for that city’s Parks Commission.

The new bike and pedestrian friendly Gerald Desmond Bridge is already at least a year behind schedule.

 

State

A Bakersfield man is competing with 42 other bike riders in the cross country Trans Am Race from Oregon to Virginia; can’t say I ever heard of that one.

Actually, there’s no reason for drivers not to signal, even in the rare situations where it’s not required. The same goes for bike riders as long as removing a hand from your brakes or handlebars won’t pose an unnecessary risk.

 

National

Bicycling tours a baker’s dozen of the nation’s most unusual velodromes; none in California and only one on the left coast. Is it just me, or is the magazine showing a decided East Coast bias these days?

A new bike horn allows you to sample any sounds you want. I’ll take the Flight of the Valkyries at maximum volume, thank you.

Nice. Reconstruction plans for a major Colorado highway include a 15-mile, 12-foot wide separated bikeway.

Possibly the world’s oldest paperboy passes away; the 91-year old bike-riding Illinois newsie insisted on finishing his route even after he fell ill.

Riding across the country to save the life of an Alabama boy with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Florida increases penalties for hit-and-run to remove the incentive for drunk drivers to flee, something we desperately need to do here. Assuming we can even get authorities to care enough prosecute it.

Riding on a sidewalk is no protection from Florida’s out of control killer drivers.

 

International

A Brit study shows most bike injuries don’t involve cars; those that do could be prevented by increasing separation.

That absurd ban on Scottish TV ads depicting helmetless bike riders has been officially overturned.

The LA Times looks at Paris’ new Velib kids bike share.

Ex-doper Ángel Vázquez is unceremoniously jerked from a Spanish Gran Fondo. And yes, I copied that name from the website to capture those cool Spanish accent marks.

 

Finally…

If you’re dealing heroin out of your Glendale home, don’t steal a bike from an underground parking garage. Or don’t get caught riding it by the victim’s sister, anyway.

And an alligator lying in the middle of the road photobombs a Louisiana bike rider, causing him to take a tumble to the pavement. I dodged a few myself when I lived and rode down there, and bigger ones at that. Fortunately, alligators on land are slow and don’t have a taste for bike tires.

 

Morning Links: Drivers give more distance to riders in bike lanes; cyclist hurt at Sunday’s LA River Ride

Interesting.

Bike lane opponents often claim the painted lanes encourage drivers to pass at an unsafe distance. But a new study from the UK (pdf) finds just the opposite.

The study compared urban streets with and without bike lanes; drivers on the streets with bike lanes were shown to pass cyclists at a greater distance than on those without, with fewer cases of unsafe passing.

That doesn’t exactly jibe with my personal experience, though.

I find drivers in the lane next to a bike lane don’t usually move over to provide a safe passing distance. Especially bus drivers. Even if you’re hugging the left side line to avoid the door zone.

But then, I’ve never conducted an independent study of the matter.

Then again, the new three-foot passing law that goes into effect in September does not include an exemption for passing riders in bike lanes, so hopefully drivers will learn to give a little more space here, as well.

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I wasn’t able to make it this year, for the first time since I’ve been a board member.

But word has it the LACBC’s 14th annual LA River Ride was another great success; Cycling Across LA takes you on the century ride in just four minutes.

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Speaking of the LACBC, their new 2014 team kits are now available for pre-order at a discount before July 5th.

Team-LACBC-Jersey

 

If you’re a spandex-clad member like me, you’ll want to wear the coalition’s colors with pride. But you don’t have to be a member — or even live in the LA area — to wear it. Anyone who wants to look and feel good on a bike is welcome place an order.

And yes, you will look good.

I’ve got the previous all black version, which is the only jersey I own that is actually flattering and doesn’t make me look like a total bike geek.

And the bright black coloring is surprisingly cool and very noticeable during daylight hours; with the new white back panel and reflectorized details, it should stand out even more, day or night.

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Local

Burbank Congressman Adam Schiff becomes the first US Representative to complete the AIDS/Lifecycle Ride from San Francisco to LA.

LADOT compromises on the North Figueroa bike lanes, now promising no delay at all for motorists at Avenue 26; Metro insists it’s not opposed to the road diet after all.

Meanwhile, Richard Risemberg takes Councilmember Gil Cedillo to task for misrepresenting the facts about North Fig.

And speaking of LADOT, the Bike Blog looks at the future of bikes at Union Station.

 

State

The hit-and-run epidemic hits our neighbor to the south, as San Diego has its deadliest year for hit-and-runs since 2009. And it’s only June.

Sadly, the husband of California’s first female Episcopal bishop is killed in a bicycling collision with an 83-year old driver. Thanks to Biker395 and Mike for the heads-up.

Shades of failed 1980’s road design, as a Mountain View bike lane sacrifices rider safety for the sake of automotive throughput.

 

National

HuffPo explains how to look like a lady while riding your bike. Then again, maintaining your modesty on a bike is a lot easier when you don’t have paparazzi trying to shoot up your skirt.

Bad enough we have to worry about dangerous drivers; a Kansas City cyclist is apparently killed by a downed power line.

A teenager with cerebral palsy is participating in a 250-mile group ride across western Michigan. No, really, what’s your excuse?

New York’s mayor lowers the speed limit to 25 mph as part of the city’s Vision Zero plan. But the NYPD can’t be bothered to investigate most collisions involving bike riders, unless the victim is a pedestrian.

Charlotte NC cyclists call for more to be done to improve safety after a rider is killed.

 

International

A Canadian publication asks if there’s any hope for détente in the war between bikes and cars. But can we please drop any further reference to the mythical war on cars?

You can see a lot of things riding a bike. For instance, two Brit cyclists may have witnessed a murder.

A writer asks if Madrid is too dangerous for the city’s new e-bike share system; then again, they said the same thing about New York before Citi Bike opened.

Despite reports to the contrary, it looks like bicycling in Australia is actually getting safer.

Your bike helmet may have been designed to provide safety for a dummy, not a real head like yours.

A New Zealand truck driver admits to careless driving in the death of a bike rider; he plays the universal Get Out of Jail Free card, claiming he just didn’t see her. But why was a 75-year old man behind the wheel of a 10-ton truck in the first place?

 

Finally…

A bike! A bike! My kingdom for a bike! Infamous English King Richard III could spend the rest of eternity in a bike rack. And if you’re going to harass a group of cyclists, first make sure one of them isn’t an off-duty cop.

 

Morning Links: The risks of biking in the Valley, Pippa makes it all the way, and a road rager attacks rescuer

Local

A Ventura Blvd website looks at the risks of bicycling in the San Fernando Valley. Overall, a good piece, though there’s a lot to quibble over — like the lack of safety instructions for drivers, and the fact that LA wasn’t built for cars, but around what was then the world’s best transit system.

A Times OpEd piece looks at what LA can learn from Stockholm’s Vision Zero about reducing traffic deaths.

Wayfinding signs are finally coming to the LA River bike path.

CD2 Councilmember Paul Krekorian says he’s working to make NoHo safer for cyclists and pedestrians. Bike lanes on Lankershim would be a great place to start.

 

State

Costa Mesa bike shop owner gets 27 months for tax evasion.

Eighty-three year old driver hits and kills a bike rider in Salinas.

 

National

Dave Zabriskie’s Legends of the Road team wins the RAAM team competition, while Pippa Middleton shows she may be worth taking seriously after all, as her eight-person team finishes the world’s most challenging endurance race in just under six days and 11 hours.

A real estate blog offers 10 ways bicycling can save the world. Skip the infographic at the top and read the story below.

Commute by Bike says bicycling will remain a fringe way for adventurous, athletic and highly eco-conscious folks to get around without serious investment in bicycle infrastructure.

Nineteen Cherokee bike riders complete a 950 mile tour of the infamous Trail of Tears.

A Maine rider is injured in a solo fall that demonstrates the danger of a too close pass.

An Aussie travel piece says bicycling in New York is cheap, fun and safer than you think.

 

International

Vancouver columnists explain bicycle parts, with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

Yorkshire is infected with yellow jersey fever.

An Irish writer insists riding across Dublin without a helmet is taking your life, or at least your brain, in you hands. And demonstrates he doesn’t get road diets.

Naples, Italy is now bike friendly.

 

Finally…

Unbelievable. After a road raging Brit driver runs a bike rider off the road, he spins around to run down another motorist who stopped to help.

 

Weekend Links: Mayor Garcetti names new head for LADOT, LA River Ride rolls this Sunday & your is life worth $300

Big news today, as LA finally gets a new leader for the Department of Transportation.

After more than a year in office — and nearly 8 months after letting the previous department head go —  Mayor Eric Garcetti nominated Seleta Reynolds, leader of the Livable Streets subdivision of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to be General Manager of LADOT.

According to a press release from the mayor’s office, Reynolds is currently working to launch a pilot bike share program, as well as implementing safety projects to help the city reach its Vision Zero goals. Both will come in handy here, where the planned bike share program has failed to materialize, and no one in city government has had the courage to even mention Vision Zero up to now.

“Seleta is the right person at the right time. L.A. is poised to expand transportation choices, improve mobility and design safer, more vibrant streets, and Seleta brings the innovative vision and strategies needed to lead LADOT at this critical moment,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, principal at Bloomberg Associates and former NYC transportation commissioner. Sadik-Khan helped support the search for a general manager, advising and assisting Mayor Garcetti and L.A. officials throughout the extensive selection process. “L.A.’s streets are its most valuable resource, and Mayor Garcetti’s selection is a key step toward making them great streets for walking, biking, living, and business.”

In talking with LA Streetsblog, Reynolds promised to bring a fresh perspective to Los Angeles, and not try to impose Bay Area solutions on the city.

“We can’t do it in L.A. the way we did it in San Francisco,” she stressed that “we need to always fit the neighborhood and the context.” Though she says that L.A. and S.F. share many similar transportation issues, including “serious congestion,” one big difference is size. For Los Angeles, she stated “the canvas is bigger” and there are “huge opportunities to work at a neighborhood scale.”

LA has suffered from a lack of strong leadership at LADOT in recent months, as councilmembers have arbitrarily halted bikeways previously approved in the 2010 bike plan, including bike lanes on Westwood and Lankershim Blvds, and North Figueroa Street, as well as a Bicycle Friendly Street long planned for 4th Street.

Hopefully, she’ll go to bat for these much needed projects, as well as bringing a genuine commitment to complete streets and livability to the mayor’s Great Streets program.

Not to mention convince Garcetti to adopt a much needed Vision Zero plan for the City of Angeles.

Because the streets and drivers of this city are creating far too many new ones.

……..

Local

Turns out the proposed road diet on North Figueroa won’t affect traffic at Avenue 26 after all.

Metro honors bike rider Wesley High with their Bicycle Ambassador Award.

KNBC-4 looks forward to Sunday’s LA River Ride.

 

State

Previously bike unfriendly San Diego adds 39 miles of bike lanes in the past year.

Solving hit-and-runs isn’t enough. We need to prevent them in the first place.

The Indio police department faces a wrongful death suit in the 2013 shooting of a bike rider.

The state legislature waters down the proposed vulnerable user law, deciding your life is only worth $300.

The San Francisco Bay Guardian asks if the DA’s office is biased against bike riders after a jury acquits a rider who collided with a jaywalking pedestrian.

 

National

One third of the recent growth in bicycling has come from people over the age of 60; so much for the anti-bike crowd who say new bike lanes won’t benefit older riders.

Unbelievable. An Iowa driver is not expected to face charges despite hitting two cyclists from behind, killing one, in a failed attempt to pass. Thanks to Ralph Durham for the link.

A Swiss rider competing in the RAAM is slightly injured in a chain-reaction collision when her support vehicle is rear-ended by a semi.

The Louisville KY city council puts the brakes on new bike lanes until the city comes up with a bike plan backed by solid statistics.

A road-raging Georgia driver faces charges after getting out of his truck, attacking a cyclist and stomping his $10,000 bike. And of course, insists he did nothing wrong.

 

International

A Vancouver man goes for a drive after his bike is stolen, then spots the thief riding it.

Lovely Bicycle goes postal.

An Irish writer moans that cycling isn’t stylish anymore.

An Aussie paper, via a Kiwi website, ranks the 10 best bicycling movies of all time.

 

Finally…

When you’re high and carrying dope, don’t ride your bike in circles around a parking lot firing a stolen gun. And don’t ride an e-bike in Australia without a helmet while carrying your 16-month old equally helmetless nephew under your arm.

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