February 8, 2026 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Update: Woman riding bicycle killed by speeding hit-and-run driver in Long Beach; 11th SoCal bike rider killed in last 4 weeks
This is getting really old.
For the 11th time in the past 30 days — okay, 28 — someone has been killed riding a bicycle on the mean streets of Southern California.
And once again, the victim was murdered by a hit-and-run driver.
According to the Long Beach Police Department, a woman riding a bicycle was mowed down by a motorist who ran a stop sign in broad daylight, then just kept running.
Police report the victim was riding south on Redondo when the driver blew through the stop sign on westbound 2nd at a high rate of speed, striking her, then continuing west on 2nd without stopping.
When police arrived, they found the woman, who has not been publicly identified, being tended to by a bystander who had stopped to help. She was taken to a local hospital, where she died.
Authorities are looking for the driver of a 2025 gray Hyundai Sonata; there’s no description of the driver at this time.
Fatal traffic collisions have been a growing problem in Long Beach despite the city promising it would try to eliminate them completely by 2026. Last year, there were 53 deadly crashes in the city. Most people killed were outside a car: walking, biking or riding an e-scooter.
Long Beach’s strategy is to force drivers to slow down, but the city has faced criticism for moving too slowly on some tactics, such as installing automated speed cameras.
Anyone with information is urged to call LBPD Collision Investigation Detail Detective Edwin Paredes at 562/570-7110, or anonymously through LA Crime Stoppers at 1-800/222-TIPS (8477).
This the 11th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the sixth in Los Angeles County; three of those SoCal deaths were caused by hit-and-run drivers.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m just glad this damn week is over.
I mean, it is over, right? Tell me it’s over.
It’s just been one damn thing after another. And as soon as you think you’ve caught your breath, something even worse happens.
But on the plus side, Sunday offers one of the best days to ride a bicycle, with virtually traffic-free streets until the game is over. Or gets out of hand, anyway.
At least the guy on the bike walked away, as did the woman behind the wheel.
So far, police have termed it a tragic accident.
You know, just another oopsie.
Just a kindly old lady who just got confused, lost control of her car, and didn’t mean to cause any harm.
Not one word, at least to this point, discussing whether someone that old should have even been behind to begin with. Never mind that for most people, cognitive abilities decline with age, eyesight weakens, and reaction times slow.
No one is saying she’s not a nice person, and no one can say whether she was at fault for the initial crash with the bicyclist. Or that she doesn’t need a car in this damnably car-centric city.
But it’s hard to believe that a younger driver wouldn’t have been able to come to a stop before plowing into a building a full block away.
We continue to allow elderly people to continue driving, even as their abilities to do so safely decline. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?
Just the normal cost of getting from here to there, I guess.
Thanks to Andy for the heads-up.
………
No surprise here.
A new study on the effect of cycling in older adults published in the PLOS One medical journal shows that bicycling improved cognitive function and mental health in the test subjects, whether they rode regular bicycles or ebikes.
According to the abstract,
For executive function, namely inhibition (the Stroop task) and updating (Letter Updating Task), both cycling groups improved in accuracy after the intervention compared to non-cycling control participants. E-bike participants also improved in processing speed (reaction times in go trials of the Stop-It task) after the intervention compared to non-cycling control participants. Finally, e-bike participants improved in their mental health score after the intervention compared to non-cycling controls as measured by the SF-36. This suggests that there may be an impact of exercising in the environment on executive function and mental health.
In fact, the ebike riders actually showed more improvement than the regular bike riders.
Perhaps because ebikes are easier on older bodies, encouraging people to ride both more, and more often.
We don’t have a problem with cities enforcing some sensible rules and reminding e-bike riders that they have a responsibility to be respectful of pedestrians and those who use traditional bicycles. Still, we worry that in their zeal to regulate, cities are tamping down on the core benefit of these e-bikes: providing people with that wonderful freedom of travel.
Which, at its core, is exactly what ebikes offer. Whether you’re young or old, healthy or otherwise.
It’s not that ebikes are better than regular bikes. They just meet different needs for different people.
And that shouldn’t be taken away just to rein in a relative few out-of-control kids.
………
In better news, Gravel Bike California takes in the gravel and wine experience riding around Temecula.
………
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
The Los Angeles Daily Newsprofiles the owners of Spoke N’ Wheel, the oldest bike shop in the San Fernando Valley, as it nears the half-century mark. Which is only four years older than my ’81 Trek.
Volunteers maintaining the La Jolla Bike Path are calling on the city to post more signs to discourage people from building their own unauthorized bike trails, after discovering a number of such trails carved into the hillside. Because as we all know, posting a sign is almost as effective as a sternly worded letter to the editor in deterring scofflaw behavior.
An opinion columnist for the Seattle Times relates how he took his stolen ebike back from someone who claimed he bought it for 400 bucks, recognizing it as the man rode by and confronting him at a red light.
Well, no shit. The annual Minneapolis Frostbike trade show was cancelled due to ‘current law enforcement activities.’ Apparently, they didn’t want to risk anyone getting inadvertently deported or shot by ICE agents.
No surprise here. Immigrant advocates and older adults decry New Jersey’s draconian new ebike law as discriminatory; the law requires licensing and registration for every ebike, without distinguishing electric motorbikes and dirt bikes from ped-assist commuter bikes.
I want to be like him when I grow up. A 73-year old Georgia man is planning to ride 950 miles to Washington DC to honor fallen service members and support the families they left behind. As we’ve noted before, however, there’s a big difference between planning to do something and actually doing it. So wake me when it’s over.
Jens Voigt says we live in a golden era of cycling, adding “Every now and then you have Pogacar or Einstein being born.” Although I’d take Pog over Einstein on a hilly descent any day.
February 5, 2026 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on New study shows drivers just don’t get us, and the short trip from WorldTour cyclist to doper to OnlyFans and funny money
My apologies for yesterday’s unexcused absence.
After writing about Sunday’s fallen bicyclist in Hemet, my internet service went down at precisely 12:07 am as I was in the middle of writing what would have been yesterday’s post.
At which point, I wisely gave up and went to bed, after Spectrum finally stopped insisting there was no outage in my area, and admitted they wouldn’t be back online until 5 am, at best.
She is easily the fastest corgi I know. But whether that energy can be directed towards running in a straight line remains to be seen.
And yes, I’m told the betting windows will be open. Although where they’ll find a jockey that small, I have no idea.
Feel free to open a crowdfunding page to fund matching team uniforms, along with a limo to deliver her to Arcadia in the style to which she’d like to become accustomed.
Or a decent bucket bike, anyway.
This is from last year’s Summer Corgi Nationals.
Now, we’ve got a lot to catch up on, so let’s get to it.
According to the research, drivers get hand signals when you point directly left or right in the direction you’re turning. But bending your left arm up to signify a right turn, or holding it down to indicate braking, not so much.
They’re also clueless when it comes to road positioning or body language to indicate your intentions on the road.
However, while the study doesn’t mention it, my personal research indicates drivers still understand the gesture most commonly used by bicyclists to signify displeasure.
No bias here. A Utah legislator is calling for Salt Lake City to “mitigate” the impacts of any traffic calming work, including “mitigating” lane removals by removing bus and bike lanes and restoring lanes for motor vehicles. Without digging out my old dust-covered Funk & Wagnalls, I’m not sure that’s what “mitigate” means, exactly.
Iowa bicyclists are decrying a so-called bicycle safety bill in the state legislature, which would ban bikes or any other personal conveyance from streets with speed limits above 25 mph, as well as all sidewalks; advocates call it the most anti-bicycling bill in the state’s history.
Horrible news from India, where a 40-year old man was chased down by two men and beaten to death in a petty road rage dispute, which started when the victim’s bicycle brushed a motorcycle owned by one of his attackers; police arrested men the next day, who claimed they were just drunk and the victim owed them money. Oh, well okay, then.
But sometimes it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
Streetsblog’sJoe Linton offers a roundup of bike lane news, including approval of the Better Overland protected bike lane project, as well as protected bike lanes coming to Glendale’s La Crescenta Ave and Colorado Ave in Santa Monica.
LADOT has another survey about the Los Angeles River path, this time looking for connections to a new segment of the LARiverWay in the east San Fernando Valley. Here’s a thought. If they’re trying to build one continuous bikeway along the entire LA River, how about just picking one name for the whole damn thing and sticking with it?
Not everyone loves the shade of “Hollywood” green used to make the West Hollywood bike lanes more visible to drivers, while remaining sufficiently inoffensive to filmmakers. Personally, I’d say it’s more of a puke green, but I appreciate the effort.
Hats off to the Culver City Unified School District, which is redesigning the parking lot between Farragut Elementary and the Culver City Middle School and Culver City High School campus complex to improve bike parking, and build protected bike lanes leading to it.
State
Fullerton is the latest OC city to crack down on reckless ebike riders, including an extra-low 5 mph speed limit on city sidewalks. I’m not sure I could ride that slow on my road bike without falling over, let alone on an ebike.
A Florida bike club is in mourning after a 67-year old club member was killed when he was struck by a truck driver towing a trailer; others in the club said that no one was safer on a bike, or followed the rules more than he did. Which is a tragic reminder that you can do everything right, but your safety still depends on the people you share the road with.
International
Momentum asks if it’s ever too cold to bike to work. If you ask most Angelenos, that’s any time the temperature drops into the 60s. Or 70s if it’s overcast.
A writer for Canadian Cycling Magazine gets on his soapbox, and makes the case for why shouting “on your left!” is the worst thing a bike rider can do, aside from buzzing someone’s shoulder afterward, arguing that we should all just use our bells. Because evidently, every road and racing bike comes fully equipped with a bike bell, as any rider in the pro peloton could undoubtedly tell you.
In a bizarre story, Polish adventurer Adam Boreiko was found dead in his Russian hotel room while attempting to ride the 570 miles from Yakutsk to Oymyakon in Siberia — the coldest spot outside Antarctica, at the coldest time of year; he’d already covered 250 miles, and appeared to be in perfect health when he stopped for the night, but was found dead the next morning. Has anyone checked him for polonium? Just asking.
The story doesn’t say which direction Hernandez was riding, but it’s possible he just didn’t make it across the five lane street before the truck caught up with him.
Anyone with information is urged to call Hemet Police Corporal Coley at 951/765-2400, file #2026-00837.
This the tenth bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the second in Riverside County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Ricardo Olvera Hernandez and his loved ones.
February 3, 2026 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Move along, nothing to see here — heartbroken rage edition
My apologies.
I’ve spent the last hour trying to write today’s post, and all I’ve done is type and delete, type and delete, with no idea what to say or how to say it.
To be honest, I’m just numb tonight, torn between the gut wrenching heartbreak of a pregnant mother and her unborn baby losing their lives for the crime of riding a bicycle with their family on the mean streets of Los Angeles. And white hot rage knowing it happened on the same street where bike lanes were installed, then unceremoniously ripped out, because a couple of rightwing radio jerks jocks didn’t like not being able to go zoom, zoom on the street anymore.
Jon and Ken, this blood is on you.
Assholes.
As you can see, I’m just not in control right now. And it’s taking all my self control not to throw this damn laptop across the room.
So we’ll be back tomorrow to catch up on what I couldn’t bring myself to write about tonight.
According to a crowdfunding campaign, 36-year old Regan Cole-Graham died after being struck by a driver while riding a bicycle with her husband and two kids this past Saturday.
She was seven months pregnant.
Her unborn daughter survived another day before dying in the NICU at UCLA Children’s Hospital on Sunday.
It’s impossible to know whether this tragedy could have been prevented if the bike lanes were still there. But their removal will almost certainly mean Los Angeles will be liable for her death.
The GoFundMe describes Cole-Graham as “…a loving & devoted wife, a fierce & joyful mother, a hilarious & loyal sister, and a beautiful, fiery daughter.”
As of this writing, the site has raised more than $134,000 to pay for funeral expenses and help her husband and kids with their future, while the goal has been raised to $210,000.
These are the eighth and ninth bicycling fatalities that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, the fourth and fifth in Los Angeles County, and the second and third reported in the City of Los Angeles.
Not that it would have helped under the circumstances.
An 87-year old driver ran down Cole-Graham from behind, knocking her into the street, where he ran over her with his sedan. Her three-year old son remained strapped into his seat as the car pushed her bike down the street, suffering minor injuries.
The driver remained at the scene; police do not think he was under the influence.
Yuda Zweda witnessed the incident and says that she briefly spoke with the man afterwards.
“The only thing he really said, ‘Please pray that she survives,'” Zweda said.
People who live in the area say that the intersection is dimly lit and dangerous for pedestrians.
“They put in some speed bumps down there and flashing lights, but I still just don’t think people seem to notice,” said one resident.
Ashley Saglie, described as a friend of the victim, expounded on that.
“I think a lot needs to change. I think there needs to be better lighting, I think there needs to be an expanded bike path,” Saglie said.
Never mind that there was a briefly bike lane on Pershing Drive, right where the crash happened, less than nine years earlier.
According to the California Post, the new West Coast edition of Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post, Cole-Graham was an executive with Google’s LA office.
Cole-Graham had worked for Google in Los Angeles since 2019, where she served as Consumer Marketing Lead and later Brand Partnerships Lead and orchestrated a multi-million dollar partnership with Live Nation among other deals, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Before that, she worked as a Senior Product Marketing Manager for AT&T and marketing manager at DirecTV, where her father also worked as an executive and helped her get her first job after she graduated from San Diego State University, her family’s lawyer said.
According to the Post, her husband described her as an “amazing wife” and “the world’s best mother.”
Brian Breiter, the attorney for the family, commented on the tragedy, as well as questioning why the man who hit her was still driving.
This is the hardest time anyone could imagine, and I just want them to be together. Imagine a three year old little boy and an 18 month old child witnessing that?” Breiter continued.
“And then, of course, their unborn sister, who survived in the NICU but unfortunately didn’t make it.”
Breiter said he’s reviewed horrific footage showing the crash, which remains under investigation by authorities.
He noted the driver’s age at that “at some point it times to take the keys away” from some people.
