A bad weekend for SoCal bike riders continued to get worse Saturday morning.
Just one day after people were killed riding their bikes in Lancaster and San Diego, a woman apparently lost her life while riding in Carson, thanks to a heartless hit-and-run driver.
She was not publicly identified; the only description was an initial call of a female down.
There’s no word on how the crash happened, and no description of the suspect or the vehicle used to commit the crime.
As we’ve noted far too many times before, there is simply no excuse, ever, to flee the scene following a crash. The driver should face a murder charge for making a conscious decision to leave the victim bleeding in the street if an autopsy shows she might have survived if she’d gotten help sooner.
But probably won’t.
This is at least the 43rd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eleventh that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and her loved ones.
There’s no word on whether the victim had lights on his bike two hours before sunrise, or if there was some other reason why the driver failed to see a grown man on a bicycle directly in front of him.
Sheriff’s deputies say the driver did not appear to be under the influence, and speed did not appear to be a factor.
Which is only partially correct; speed is always a factor in a fatal crash, even if the driver was not exceeding the posted speed limit; slower speeds make collisions both more avoidable and more survivable.
Anyone with information is urged to call Lancaster Sheriff’s Station traffic investigators at 661/948-8466.
This is at least the 42nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the tenth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
An email from the San Diego Council of Bicycle Clubs reports the victim was riding ahead of a companion when he crashed into the truck, which did not have any warning cones or flashers on.
The other rider attempted to perform CPR; however, the victim, publicly identified only as a 42-year old man, was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering severe head trauma.
Unfortunately, California law allows parking in bike lanes except where specifically prohibited by local ordinances. While the street is posted no parking, the signs appear to be spaced too far apart, and it is likely there is an exception for utility workers in the performance of their duties.
Whether that was the case here, or the driver just pulled over for some reason is still unclear.
It seems likely that the victim was descending at speed, not expecting anything blocking the bike lane, and was unable to stop once the truck came into view around a sweeping curve.
It’s also worth noting that, while there is no word on whether the victim was wearing a helmet, bike helmets aren’t designed to protect against hard impacts at relatively fast speeds. Especially one resulting from a near instantaneous stop.
It’s also worth noting that the police found the victim’s cell phone on the side of the road, and were examining it to see if he was using it at the time of the crash.
Which is a pretty good indication that the investigators have never ridden a bike downhill, let alone at high speed.
This is at least the 41st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
September 24, 2020 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Strava data shows LA bike rate double last year’s; and gun charges yes, but nothing for driving through Pasadena protesters
According to Strava data, bicycle use in bike-unfriendly Los Angeles nearly doubled in May, jumping 93% over this time last year.
Among the six U.S. cities for which Strava provided data, Houston and Los Angeles, two sprawling metropolises where just .5% and 1% of the respective populations biked to work in pre-pandemic times, stand out. In Houston, the total volume of cycling trips in Houston was 138% higher in May 2020 than in May 2019. In Los Angeles, the jump was 93%. Unlike their peers, these two places also saw cycling increases in April, the first full month of widespread stay-at-home order and economic shutdowns.
Never mind that Strava is still used by a subset of bike riders, meaning the actual numbers could be even higher, as the LACBC’s Eli Akira Kaufman points out.
Eli Akira Kaufman, the executive director of the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition, said the data also likely leaves out many of the essential workers he’s observed hopping on bikes instead of the bus, which could mean that the numbers are even higher than what the Strava data shows. Now his thoughts are towards the future. Cities like Houston and L.A., with their thousands of miles of car-oriented streets, have their work cut out building protected bike lanes and other infrastructure to encourage cycling even after the pandemic ends
“How do we keep the riding coming?” he said. “That’s the question now.”
The obvious answer to that is to provide a safe, convenient and connected network of bikeways that allows riders to traverse the city, and their own neighborhoods.
This is who we share the roads with, protest edition.
A San Marino man who drove through a group of peaceful Pasadena protestors last month has been charged with conspiracy to transport firearms across state lines, as well as making a false statement to police.
During a search of Hung’s truck, police found a loaded semiautomatic handgun, multiple high-capacity magazines loaded with ammunition, an 18-inch machete, $3,200 in cash, a long metal pipe and a megaphone, according to the affidavit.
Evidently, endangering innocent people with a motor vehicle is just dandy, though.
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This is who we share the roads with, hit-and-run edition.
Take public transport, walk or cycle and thus set an example for more space in the city.
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It’s not everyday a hospital ad is worth sharing.
At City of Hope, we are driven to deliver world-class cancer care. We’re committed to pioneering research and lifesaving clinical trials for tenacious patients like Jim Murphy, who rode his bike to and from treatments and still rides today. pic.twitter.com/LojY9fSy5Y
An Aussie man faces charges for pushing a friend in a shopping cart into a group of bicyclists traveling at over 25 mph, taking out a number of riders. The man, who had been drinking for a dozen hours, claims his actions weren’t deliberate and he just lost control of the cart, despite how it looks on security cam video.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
In a tragic story from Milwaukee, a 54-year old man was fatally gunned down by a bike rider in a dispute over a traffic “mishap.” There is no excuse for violence, especially at the risk of someone’s life. Just suck it up and ride away, already.
They get it, too. Miami is planning to permanently ban cars from the city’s beachfront Ocean Drive, while prioritizing pedestrians first in the city’s entertainment district, followed by bicyclists and transit, with personal vehicles last.
Talk about not getting it. A Philippine city is considering a proposal to mandate helmets and reflectorized vests for bike riders, as well as limiting riders to carrying minimal loads, since “bicycles are not designed to carry much cargo.” Which would come as a hell of a surprise to many bike commuters and cargo bike owners.
September 23, 2020 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on LA Times endorses Ryu’s policy ripoffs, a genuine Good Samaritan, and Amazon is or isn’t selling a cheap Peloton knockoff
I’m having major problems with my neuropathy tonight, and really struggling to get today’s post online.
So let’s go with a little shorter edition today, and save anything we missed for tomorrow.
The cool thing about neuropathy is you get to enjoy the sensation of demons ripping the flesh from your bones, without the inconvenience of actually dying and eternal damnation and all that.
Ryu’s Road to Damascus conversion from one of the council’s most auto-centric, anti-bike councilmembers to one of most progressive members of the body has come in just the last several months, as he faced a serious challenge from a genuinely progressive, environmental and bike friendly advocate for the homeless.
It’s surprising that the Times fell for what looks to be a self-serving attempt to hold onto his job at all costs.
And it raises a serious question of sexism, when the paper’s editorial board prefers the man who stole his policy positions over the woman they admit actually originated them.
It makes far more sense to follow the endorsements of Calbike, Bike the Vote LA and Streets For All and cast your ballot for Nithya Raman.
So he set up a meeting with the seller, who wanted $850 for the bike. When the man refused, the seller tried negotiating. But the man again refused, saying he knew the bike was stolen.
The thief finally apologized, but asked for help because he’d fallen on hard times.
So the woman got her bike back.
And the thief got a $100 gift card from the man, along with an offer for a job at one of his auto shops.
If you ever wondered what it means to be a Good Samaritan, that’s pretty much it.
Although it may be awhile before the thief can take advantage of the offer, since they turned him in to the police to answer for his crime.
A Minnesota city settles an environmental lawsuit by agreeing to mitigate damage from a planned mountain bike trail through through one of the last known habitats of the critically endangered rusty patched bumblebee. Although a better solution would be to build the damn trail somewhere else.
Life is cheap in Lesotho, where the kingdom’s the top cyclist is finally back on his bike, six months after he was seriously injured when an unlicensed taxi driver slammed into a group of four riders near the finish of a race; needless to say, the driver walked with a suspended sentence.
David Drexler writes that Santa Monica has finally installed a curb separating bike riders and pedestrians on the newly widened Marvin Braude bike path through the city’s beaches.
But at the same time, they’ve installed a ridiculous 5 mph speed limit on the pathway, which is a fast walking pace, and slower than most people run. And almost half the 8 mph speed limit in Hermosa Beach.
Never mind that, as he points out, it’s hard to ride a bike that slowly without falling over, even on a cruiser bike.
Just more evidence of biking rules being set by people who’ve never ridden one.
Photos by David Drexler.
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Los Angeles County protestors aren’t backing down in the ongoing street confrontations with the Sheriff’s Department.
Meanwhile, bike riders in many parts of the county continue to express a fear of being harassed or arrested by sheriff’s deputies for Biking while Black or Brown.
Which is something no one should ever have to fear.
Compounding the tragedy, the formerly two lane street where the crash occurred has suffered from speeding drivers since being widened to four lanes earlier this year.
We’ll never know if he and his daughter might have both made it home to their family if it hadn’t been.
And someone should ask Sacramento’s ABC10 why it took until the next-to-last of 17 paragraphs in their story to mention that the damn car even had a driver.
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A frequent bike rider, who asked not to be named, forwarded this dashcam video taken during a recent drive through Santa Monica, demonstrating why stopping for red lights matters.
San Francisco authorities are struggling to identify a hospitalized man who was seriously injured when he was hit by a driver while riding his bike. This is why you should always have some form of ID that’s not likely to get lost or stolen when you ride your bike. I always wear my RoadID, but you can also carry a card with your name and emergency contact information.
New York bike riders will be on their own, as city officials plan to close part of the Hudson River Greenway for reconstruction work with no safety provisions for riders forced to detour onto the streets; the pathway is the busiest bike path in North America. Which is saying something for anyone who’s ever tried to ride the Venice bike path on a holiday weekend.
The Orange Police Department is reporting that a three-year old boy was killed riding his bike in the Orange County city last night.
According to the department, the boy was stuck by a pickup driver at 1931 East Meats Ave in the Orange Mobile Home Park around 7:19 pm.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, despite the efforts of police officers to save him.
The 23-year old woman behind the wheel remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators; police do not suspect drug or alcohol use.
Unfortunately, no description was given on just how the crash occurred. There’s no word on whether the boy was riding in the street, on the sidewalk, or some other area.
Welcome to the long-delayed Bike Week for the Age of Covid-19, where not much is going on, and like everything else in this plague infested year, what does will be mostly virtual.
The one actual semi-activity to hit the streets will be tomorrow’s Ride A Bike Day, on what is otherwise known as Worldwide Car Free Day, in which you’re encouraged to ride your bike somewhere.
There are three out of five council seats on the ballot. Only one incumbent is running (Mayor Goran Erickson), as Bike The Vote L.A.-endorsed Meghan Sahli-Wells is termed out and bike-friendly Councilmember Thomas Small decided not to seek re-election. Five of the eight candidates running responded to Bike The Vote’s questionnaire. Each of the responses were promising, but Bike The Vote’s Cuvler City committee determined that these three candidates stood out as worthy of endorsements.
Some people in London Fields are locked in we cannot come our own Borough. Bus Gate on BOTH END Richmond Road and Lansdowne Drive. This has seriously restricted our Freedom of Movement.This isn't Gaza Strip!!!
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
A Philadelphia bike rider opened fire on three plainclothes cops when they slowed down to ask if he was okay; another man joined the firefight after the officers got out of their car to exchange fire. Fortunately, none of the cops were seriously injured.
A road raging Irish bike rider was bitten in the nose by a passenger in a car, after the passenger got out and attacked the bicyclist for shattering the car’s windshield with his bike; both men face well-deserved charges.
Scottish cyclist Josh Quigley set a new world’s record by riding the 516-mile North Coast 500 route through the Scottish Highlands in just 31 hours and 17 minutes, less than a year after he barely survived being struck by a Texas driver doing 70 mph while attempting to ride across the US.
More on Oneida Tribe member Neilson Powless, the only Native American to compete in this year’s Tour de France, or any other year for that matter — including a couple of near-podium finishes.
September 18, 2020 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on LASD exonerates itself in Kizzee shooting amid calls for sheriff to resign, and e-scooters just ain’t the problem
According to a department spokesperson, deputies originally attempted to stop Kizzee for riding salmon, a crime that does not normally carry the death penalty.
Deputies fired at least 15 shots after spotting the weapon when he dropped it, along with some clothes he’d been carrying.
However, after giving the deputies over two weeks to get their stories straight talk to investigators, the gun somehow went from the ground, as the sheriff’s department originally stated, into Kizzee’s hand as claimed in the new report.
Never mind that security video appears to show the deputies shooting at Kizzee as he ran away.
Unfortunately, we may never know for sure what happened, since LA County Sheriff’s Deputies aren’t currently required to wear body cams.
But the shooting does raise questions, especially in a department where gang-like groups wear matching tattoos and call themselves names like the Executioners.
It doesn’t matter who Kizzee was, or whether he had a record. It also doesn’t matter that he ran from the deputies, or briefly tussled with one when they tried to tackle him.
For the crime of riding on the wrong side of the street.
What matters is whether the deputies had a legitimate reason to fear for their own lives, or that of the public, before opening fire.
Let alone whether the department can, or will, conduct an honest investigation of its own deputies. Especially under the current administration.
Because this one doesn’t begin to pass the smell test.
Several members of the Civilian Oversight Commission for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department have called on Sheriff Alex Villanueva to resign. @leilamillersays and @AleneTchek report: https://t.co/6tZKDvWhdm
Which compares to roughly 112,500 people killed in motor vehicle collisions over the same period.
Admittedly, I’ve never been very good at math, but I’m pretty sure 41 is less that 112,500.
A lot less.
So which one is really the problem on our streets?
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Something is seriously wrong when you’re not even safe from cars and their drivers in your own home.
#BREAKING: A person is dead after a car slammed into a house in #Pomona. The person was trapped underneath the car inside the home for about 20 minutes. @LACOFD did all they could but the person died on scene. @RoadSageLA overhead in #Sky9#CBSLA
The victim, identified only as a 40-year old man, was pronounced dead at the scene.
No word on whether he had lights on his bike, or if there was some other reason why the driver failed to see him. And no word on how fast the driver was going.
But at least he stayed at the scene.
A street view shows six lanes with a center turn lane on Rosecrans, with a frontage road on the south side. That suggests the victim may have been riding west on Rosecrans, if he was on the main roadway at the time of the crash.
This is at least the 39th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
