September 30, 2022 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Update: Man riding bicycle killed in South LA’s Florence neighborhood; 22nd SoCal bicyclist killed in hit-and-runs this year
This isn’t the news anyone wanted to end our week with.
The victim, identified only as an adult male, was riding north on Wall Street at 61st Street when he was run down by the driver of a westbound panel van around 11 pm Thursday.
He died at the scene.
The driver continued without stopping, dragging the victim around 30 feet underneath the van. Police say he had to have felt the impact and known he’d hit something.
Police are looking for a white commercial panel van with a roof rack and conduit carrier, possibly a 1996 to 2022 GMC Savana or Chevrolet Express, with likely front end damage.
Investigators speculate the driver may be a plumber or construction worker who lives in the area.
Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD Officer Alex Guizar, Central Traffic Detectives, at 213/833-3713 or email 39761@lapd.online, or call the Central Traffic Division Watch Commander at 213/833-3746.
As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for any fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles.
This is at least the 69th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 21st that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the 11th in the City of Los Angeles.
Twenty-two of those SoCal deaths have been hit-and-runs.
September 30, 2022 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on This is who we share the road with, new 1st Street bike lane in DTLA, and call to end freeway widening in LA County
Let’s start with a quick look at who we share the road with.
And a 20-year old woman faces 25 to life after allegedly using her car to kill a Cypress man she thought was trying to run over a cat; she thoughtfully recorded the confrontation on her cellphone, in case prosecutors needed more evidence to put her away. No word on whether the cat escaped with all nine lives intact.
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Another new bike lane in DTLA.
Now if they’d just put a few in the rest of the city.
Seriously, someone tell Metro and Caltrans to take the hint, already. And stop wasting billions on induced demand-inducing freeway projects.
Twitter post
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More news from Gavin Newsom’s veto pen, as he signs a bill requiring bike parking in new multifamily construction, but vetoes a bill requiring the state to put its climate change money where its mouth is.
Twitter post
Twitter post
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Just a reminder that there are still good people in the world.
Although it’s also a reminder not to post videos online that start or end where you live.
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
Life is cheap in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where killing a woman and injuring another bike rider as they took part in a fundraising ride only merits a lousy ticket for a bad lane change. Although that’s still more than the driver would get in some other places.
Richmond’s Rich City Rides is as important to the East Bay Community as the East Side Riders are down here. Right now, they’re 13% of the way to their $10,000 fundraising goal to keep giving away free bicycles and bike repair to people in need. Just in case you have a little extra money lying around.
September 29, 2022 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Tax rebate for carfree households vetoed, Ballona Creek path closure, and cops claim quiet street too dangerous for bikes
More climate arson courtesy of Gavin Newsom’s veto pen.
Or pocket veto, anyway.
The California governor drove the final stake through what once was a very good bill, which in its original form would have paid Californians five grand a year not to own a car.
State Senator Anthony Portantino’s SB 457 was watered down as it made its way through the legislative process, until the final form passed by the legislature provided just $1000 for carless households.
Meaning if one person took the bus or rode a bike, while their partner drove, they’d get nothing.
But apparently, even that was too much for Newsom, who returned the bill unsigned.
Twitter post
Newsom’s veto message says he wasn’t signing the bill because it created a nearly $1 billion unfunded obligation each year, despite California’s record budget surplus.
Then again, he could have covered the entire thing by just moving a billion from Caltrans $20 billion budget.
Caltrans will tear down a 63-year old pedestrian bridge over the 101 Freeway in Encino this weekend because it doesn’t offer enough vertical clearance for oversized vehicles; the agency pinky swears to develop even better freeway crossings for bike riders and pedestrians, though, after local residents vetoed plans for a replacement bridge.
Los Angeles is finally making plans to fix San Vicente Blvd between Olympic Blvd and La Brea Ave, reducing the number of lanes on the up to ten-lane residential street, while improving walkways and installing parking protected bike lanes.
A reporting team from The New York Times goes for an autonomous car ride through the streets of San Francisco, describing the self-driving vehicle as the overly cautious opposite of the famous car chase from Bullitt. And ended up walking when the car mistakenly detected a possible crash, and refused to budge.
Get ready for your next public meeting with a rousing round of SIM NIMBY, the utterly useless SIM game that doesn’t allow you to build anything, anywhere.
Whatever the hell illness I’ve been dealing with appears to have broken finally, so let’s ease back into things by catching up on a few stories we’ve missed, along with today’s news.
And please forgive me for not keeping track of who sent me links this time. Under the circumstances, I was happy just to keep track of my meals.
And none of which require joining out of fear; you can also participate if you want to give back to the community, or just enjoy riding with like-minded people.
Seriously, they should know better.
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The governor finally signed Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s parking reform bill, no thanks to our “climate mayor.”
Taking a cue from Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival, Italy’s Bianchi goes electric. And yes, you have to be pretty damn old to get that reference.
Competitive Cycling
UCI announced a second Super Worlds, with all cycling events — including road, track, BMX, mountain bike and paracycling — taking place in the same week in Haute-Savoie, France, four years after next year’s Super Worlds in Glasgow.
September 27, 2022 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Man riding bicycle killed by driver in Oxnard collision last week; 2nd fatal Oxnard bike crash this year
Apparently, a full week isn’t enough time to publicly identify the victim of a bicycling crash.
The Ventura County Star reported last week that a man was killed in collision while riding his bike in Oxnard on Monday, September 19th.
The westbound victim was crossing Saviers Road at Glacier Avenue around 7:40 pm when he was struck by the driver of a full-size pickup headed south on Saviers.
He was taken to a local hospital, where he died shortly later. A week later, he still hasn’t been publicly ID’d.
The driver, identified only as a 35-year old Oxnard man, remained at the scene; there’s no word on whether he may have been speeding or under the influence.
Anyone with information is urged to call Oxnard Police Cpl. Andrew Pinkstaff at 805/385-7750, or email andrew.pinkstaff@oxnardpd.org.
This is at least the 68th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in Ventura County. The victim is also the second bike rider killed in Oxnard this year.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all his family and loved ones.
The driver was identified only as a 23-year old Fallbrook man; he was not suspected of being under the influence.
Unfortunately, there’s no information on how the crash happened, or who may have been at fault. Or exactly where the crash occurred, though a street view appears to show bike lanes in every direction.
What is clear is that someone who can ride a bicycle at that age deserves better.
Then again, we all do.
Anyone with information is urged to call San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy Jerry Dana at 760/510-5259, or email Jerry.Dana@sdsheriff.org.
This is at least the 67th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 10th that I’m aware of in San Diego County. It’s also the second fatal bike crash in San Marcos this year.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all his family and loved ones.
