Morning Links: More on Measure M, Bouquet Canyon closed until April, and a pair of tough young cyclists

November 2, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: More on Measure M, Bouquet Canyon closed until April, and a pair of tough young cyclists

Local

The LA Times lays out Metro’s transportation battle plan if Measure M passes, and if it doesn’t. Hint: We’ll all be better off if it does.

Here’s another reason to vote for Measure M: The half-cent sales tax increase could be used to fix the roads in the LA area, which are rated the second worst in the US. And bad roads affect people on two wheels more than those on four.

Glendale kicks off a new bike and pedestrian safety campaign timed for the end of Daylight Savings Time. And no, we are not impressed.

Bike SGV is hosting a free learn to bike class from 9 to 11 am this Saturday, although the date and time are missing from the page.

CiclaValley writes that the popular Bouquet Canyon riding route will be closed until April to protect from flooding.

 

State

The CTC proposes over $23 million in funding for the CV Link multi-use path circling the Coachella Valley, despite rejection of the proposed route by Rancho Mirage and opposition in Indian Wells.

A Redlands couple riding around the US on a tandem bike fell short of their nearly 10,000 mile goal when their bike was struck by a distracted driver in Kingman AZ; fortunately, both only suffered minor injuries. You have to be pretty damn distracted not to see two people on a bicycle directly in front of you.

A San Francisco bicyclist suffered life threatening injuries in a collision caused by someone running a red light; police hope to find security video and talk to the rider when his condition improves to determine who was at fault.

A Bay Area website recommends a scenic, 25-mile loop around Stinson Beach, offering 3,000 feet of climbing and thrilling descents.

 

National

People for Bikes says bicycles belong on main streets, not side streets, so people can use them for utilitarian errands rather than just riding to work.

An Oregon paramedic says we all have to try harder to make sure everyone gets home safely.

Utah installs signage for two US Bicycle Routes across the southern portion of the state.

A terminally ill Colorado man is going out on his own terms by starting his own Hospice Racing team after entering hospice care.

A Chicago entrepreneur is proposing a floating bike lane over the city’s eponymous river.

The Department of DIY has opened a branch in Cambridge MA, where cyclists are responding to the death of a fellow rider by crowdfunding their own posts to create a guerilla protected bike lane.

Ride your bicycle through 400 years of history on the 52-mile Virginia Capital Trail.

 

International

A skill every bike rider should master: How to correctly wear a cycling cap. Personally, I still prefer the cap on backwards with the bill turned up.

An Italian prince was killed in a London collision when he tried to overtake a truck, whose driver was unable to see his bike because the steering wheel was on the wrong side — the equivalent of a right-hand drive truck on US roads; the victim was heir to a Florence noble family dating back to the Middle Ages.

London’s former cycling commissioner says the city’s new mayor must do much more to show a commitment to bicycling.

Anti-bike terrorists strike in the UK, where someone booby trapped a bike trail with wooden spikes that could have seriously injured someone. Or worse.

The historic island state of Malta is getting its first bikeshare system, with 53 stations serving a population of 400,000.

An Aussie paper says “lunatic” bicycle food couriers are “dicing with death” by illegally riding through some of Sydney’s busiest highway tunnels. Although there is another side to the bike delivery question.

A new Australian report calls for simplifying intersections and reducing speed limits to reduce crashes by elderly drivers.

 

Finally…

If you want to sail, get a bike. Evidently, fleeing from police is hungry work.

And this may be the toughest bike rider you see today.

Unless maybe it’s this tiny salmon cyclist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzQ_cwqsRPs

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Update: Bike rider killed in Sunland crash; second rider killed on Foothill Blvd in less than a week

November 1, 2016 / / 10 comments

Yet another bike rider has been killed on deadly Foothill Blvd.

Just days after a bicyclist was killed on Foothill Blvd in Pacoima, another rider has lost his life in a crash just five miles away in Sunland.

According to the Daily News, a man was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle on a 9100 block of Foothill Blvd at 5:15 pm Tuesday.

The victim, who has been identified only as a man approximately 60 years old, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene.

No other information is available at this time.

A street view shows a wide road with two lanes in each direction and a center turn lane, with a 40 mph speed limit and no bike lanes.

This is the 67th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 27th in Los Angeles County; it’s also the ninth in the City of Los Angeles. And this is the fourth bicyclist killed on Foothill Blvd in just the last three years.

Update: According to the LAPD, the victim, who has still not been publicly identified, was struck from behind while riding on the eastbound shoulder of Foothill Blvd.

The driver remained at the scene and called for help. He or she was found at fault for the crash, and the case will be presented to the DA’s office to determine if charges will be filed. 

Update 2: The victim has been identified as Jeffrey Knopp.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jeffrey Knopp and his loved ones. 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities, Update / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: Jefferson Blvd Complete Streets in line for state funding, and LA pro Phil Gaimon calls it a career

November 1, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: Jefferson Blvd Complete Streets in line for state funding, and LA pro Phil Gaimon calls it a career

Maybe we really will see some changes around here. Particularly in some of LA County’s less advantaged communities.

Richard Parks forwards news that the California Transportation Commission has recommended funding a number of active transportation projects in LA County.

Topping the list from his perspective is a much needed and hard fought effort to transform Jefferson Blvd into a Complete Street.

The California Transportation Commission has recommended $6 million in funding to make Jefferson Blvd. from Vermont Ave. west to Western Ave. a complete street. The plan calls for protected and buffered bike lanes, pedestrian lighting, sidewalk repairs, street trees and more. This project will link to USC’s Jefferson Blvd. Streetscape Plan which intersects with the MyFigueroa project. The CTC will ratify staff recommendations in December.

Other projects on the list include:

  • $3.4 million for the second phase of the West Santa Ana Branch Bikeway in Paramount
  • $1.8 million for bike and pedestrian enhancements on Atlantic Ave in Cudahy
  • $1 million for the first phase of the Pacoima Wash bike and pedestrian path in San Fernando
  • $1.5 million for intersection improvements at the Slauson Blue Line Station
  • $660,000 for the Garfield Avenue Complete Streets Corridor in South Gate
  • $1 million for a Huntington Park Safe Routes to School project
  • $1.1 million for the Southern California Disadvantaged Communities Planning Initiative
  • $5.3 million for Safe Routes to School pedestrian improvements in Lancaster
  • $2 million for a bike lane gap closure project on Spring Street in Signal Hill
  • $1.4 million for phase II of the DWP’s Los Nietos Safe Routes to School

………

LA’s own pro cyclist Phil Gaimon calls it a career after failing to find a WorldTour ride for next season. He says don’t call it retirement, though, in a great self-penned piece that reflects the struggles of most pro cyclists; meanwhile, his Malibu Gran Cookie Dough this Sunday will become his semi-official non-retirement party.

On the other hand, British pro Bradley Wiggins considers un-retiring.

And a 25-year old Spanish cyclist gets a four year ban for doping with a drug he denies ever taking.

………

Local

Venice Blvd now officially belongs to Los Angeles instead of being under the control of Caltrans, after the state pays LA to take it off their hands.

Metro is asking for input on the coming LAX Connector Line, which includes plans for a bike hub to make it easier to ride to the airport.

 

State

An unidentified bike rider was hospitalized with traumatic injuries after he or she was hit by a Garden Grove police officer. Thanks to Steve Herbert for the heads-up.

A Redlands thief plays Mission Impossible by lowering himself through the roof to steal $200 from a bike shop.

It’s been a rough few days in Fresno; just two days after a bike rider was killed in a collision, another rider suffered life-threatening injuries yesterday.

San Jose church members assemble 60 bicycles to donate to local children.

Palo Alto considers budget options for a new bike bridge after rejecting a previous design that came in over budget.

A Santa Rosa letter writer says the anti-bike residents along a local roadway remind him of Deliverance.

 

National

Streetsblog looks at why American trucks are so deadly for bicyclists and pedestrians, after London takes steps to ban dangerous trucks from the roads.

An Oregon TV station asks if it’s time to put bike lanes on a key bridge after a bike rider was killed by a driver with 31 previous traffic convictions. Bike lanes would be a good idea; keeping demonstrably dangerous drivers off the roads would be better.

Authorities say they know who sabotaged a Colorado bike trail, however, no charges have been filed yet in what the BLM calls an isolated incident.

Texas residents worry about property values plummeting if a proposed bike lane gets built. Never mind that bikeways have consistently been shown to increase property values.

A DC bicyclist dodged a bullet — literally — when a road raging driver took a shot at him; his rear bike tire wasn’t so lucky.

I want to be like her when I grow up. A 90-year old Florida woman consistently holds her own on a 31-mile weekly group ride.

 

International

Riding a bicycle just five minutes a day can cut your risk of early death from heart disease. But it won’t get you very far.

Bicycle Times offers a guide to buying a bicycle.

Bike Radar recommends five bike action cams they like, all of which just happen to be made by GoPro or Garmin.

Who couldn’t use a few tips on dating a female competitive cyclist?

Anti-bike terrorists strike again, this time strewing tacks on an Ottawa bike lane.

Bodyguards ban British Foreign Secretary and former London Mayor Boris Johnson from bicycling over fears that riding a bike would make him a target. Just like it does the rest of us.

China’s maintenance-free, dock-less Mobike bikeshare system is expanding to Singapore, which appears to have won that skirmish in China’s bikeshare startup battle.

 

Finally…

Do Angelenos fear Scientology’s bike-riding security guards because they’re Scientologists, or because they’re on bicycles? Your next racing kit could have as much coffee inside as you do.

And it’s not unusual for a drunk driver to flee from the cops after nearly hitting a bike rider. Except when the driver is just 12-years old.

 

Category: Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: UCLA bikeshare may be doomed, sleep bike riding in the UK, and riding a wave on two wheels

October 31, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: UCLA bikeshare may be doomed, sleep bike riding in the UK, and riding a wave on two wheels

It’s a surprisingly light news day after last weekend’s massive post. So take a few minutes to read today’s post, then get out on your bike and enjoy the cool fall weather.

………

Local

A writer for UCLA’s Daily Bruin says the hilly terrain on campus and the lack of safe infrastructure in Westwood could doom the university’s bikeshare system before it starts. You can thank Councilmember Paul Koretz for the lack of bike lanes off campus.

 

State

Victorville cyclists honor a pair of fallen bicyclists at the second annual Victor Valley Bicycle Tour.

Around 850 bicyclists took part in Sunday’s SLO Gran Fondo along California’s Central Coast.

A Fresno bike rider was critically injured in a collision at an intersection after allegedly riding though a red light. Somehow, bicyclists always seems to be the ones at fault when they’re no longer around around to tell their side of the story.

 

National

Men’s Journal explains everything you need to know about Everesting, which is repeatedly riding uphill until you reach the equivalent distance of climbing Mt. Everest. Sherpas optional.

Once again, authorities manage to keep a dangerous driver on the road until it’s too late. A Portland driver killed a cyclist after being convicted of 31 driving infractions, including one count of hit-and-run and eleven convictions for driving with a suspended license. Yet somehow, he was still able to remain behind the wheel until he killed someone.

Sad news from Colorado, as a cancer-stricken dog riding across the US with his owner has died, just days after the Marine veteran’s specialized bicycle was stolen; he set off on the cross-country trip to ensure that the dog’s last days would be her happiest.

A Minnesota newsman goes riding with a group of fourth and fifth graders, part of a program to empower kids by getting them out on bicycles for a couple hours after school, rain or shine.

Kindhearted Columbus OH cops take time to fix a little boys bike after responding to another call.

 

International

London cyclists will hold a die-in tonight to protest the death of yet another bike rider killed by a large truck.

A Cambridge traffic planner argues for getting away from distinctions between types of cyclists, saying there’s only one type of person who rides a bike — someone who wants to get from A to B, regardless of how fast or slow they may go.

A British website suggests eleven ways to stay safe when riding this winter.

A Englishman can thank a man out for a run for saving his life after he suffered a heart attack while riding his bike. Meanwhile, a London air ambulance crew saved the life of another rider by preforming a rare heart procedure on the side of the roadway.

In a truly bizarre case from the UK, a retired postman may have been riding his bicycle in his sleep when he rode into a river and drowned.

A French police agency says bike riders are at fault in half of all bicycling collisions, and points the finger at “inconsiderate” riders. Does mean inconsiderate drivers are responsible for the other half?

A Kiwi writer says it’s time to cut bike riders some slack, because we help drivers more than we hold them up. Despite the prime minister’s son’s idiotic assertion that “real men ride women,” not bicycles.

An Aussie Vietnam War vet is nearing the end of a one-legged, 10,000 kilometer ride from Hanoi to Sydney — the equivalent of 6,214 miles — to call attention to veteran suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Singapore cyclists are modifying their ebikes to turn them into virtual motorcycles. And at least one British rider did, too.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: It’s one thing to wave while you ride, another to get carried away by one. When your costume comes from Stranger Things, a bicycle is mandatory.

And your next bicycle could have a four stroke, multispeed gas engine.

Or maybe not.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , ,

32-year old bike rider killed riding on freeway in Costa Mesa Friday night

October 29, 2016 / / 7 comments

Once again, a bike rider has been killed on a Southern California Freeway.

According to the Orange County Register, 32-year old Lakewood resident Gilbert Gutierrez III was struck by a car while riding on the transition road between the southbound 55 Freeway and the southbound 405 Freeway Friday night. My News LA places the time at 10:51 pm.

He reportedly crossed over both lanes on the transition road and was struck by a car traveling at an estimated 70 mph. He was declared dead at the scene.

The driver, a 24-year old woman from Yorba Linda, remained at the scene. She was not cited or arrested.

No explanation was given for why Gutierrez was on the freeway; bicycles are banned from most urban freeways in the state.

This is the 66th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 11th in Orange County. He is also the third person to be killed while riding a bicycling on a SoCal freeway in the last two and a half years.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Gilbert Gutierrez III and all his loved ones. 

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

Weekend Links: Santa Ana bike rider injured in street racing crash, a close pass in Stanton, and Bike Events

October 29, 2016 / / 3 comments

A Santa Ana bike rider was seriously injured Thursday night, the victim of a driver who was allegedly street racing with another car.

Both drivers fled the scene.

However, 20-year old Christopher Carrasco was arrested about two hours later, after he was encouraged to turn himself in by family members; he was being held on $50,000 bail. Authorities are still looking for the other driver.

The victim was reportedly in stable condition after undergoing surgery Friday morning.

Some news reports have suggested the victim may have been riding without lights, and might have done something that contributed to the crash.

However, no matter what he may or may not have done, street racing is a serious crime with entirely foreseeable consequences, akin to firing a gun down a crowded street. It should not be up to the rest of the world to stay the hell out of the way of dangerous drivers exceeding the speed limit and putting everyone else at risk.

Thanks to Jeff Vaughn for the heads-up.

………

Mike Wilkinson forwards video of a far too close pass in Stanton, which just happened to occur right next to the only parked car on the street.

He notes that, despite the perspective, he was riding outside the door zone. However, in the future, he plans to take the lane where the road narrows there.

………

Let’s catch up on a few upcoming events.

Metro will be hosting a guided Halloween Metro Bike bikeshare ride around DTLA on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, Finish the Ride and Serious Cycling will host a free community ride in Agoura Hills.

The first three-day Revolution Bike Fest will take place on Orange County next weekend, with a full weekend of rides, music and beer.

revolution-bike-fest

If you find yourself jonesing for another ciclovía now that CicLAvia is done for the year, Long Beach hosts the next edition of their Beach Streets open streets event on November 12th.

nov-beach-streets

And the LACBC will host a discussion of traffic laws with representatives of the LAPD, LA County Sheriff’s Department and the CHP, along with BikinginLA Sponsor Jim Pocrass, on November 14th.

………

British Cycling confirms allegations that the head of their bike racing program used inappropriate and discriminatory language in telling a female racer to go and have a baby after her contract wasn’t renewed.

Meanwhile, leaders of the program while face questions in front of Parliament over allegations of legal doping.

………

Local

Representatives of a business group call for passing Measure M because voting no would cost LA County too much. Meanwhile, a writer for UCLA’s Daily Bruin says voters have an opportunity to move the city forward by voting yes on M.

Metro officially votes to expand the Metro Bike bikeshare to Venice, San Pedro/Wilmington and Pasadena, where it will focus on the last mile connection; next up is Central LA, followed by Hollywood and West Hollywood, which already has its own system. Meanwhile, UCLA’s bikeshare system will open next spring.

Speaking of West Hollywood, the city’s bikeshare system will be on lockdown Monday during the massive Halloween celebration.

CiclaValley says every lane is a horse poop lane when you’re following the LAPD’s mounted patrol through the bike lanes of Downtown.

 

State

Streetsblog looks at the challenges in Caltrans efforts to develop a statewide active transportation plan, as they seek the public’s input.

Santa Ana goes beyond Vision Zero with a plan to end traffic collisions, not just deaths, while giving the streets back to people.

San Diego’s KPBS looks forward to Sunday’s annual CicloSDias open streets event. Meanwhile, the city’s downtown library is now hosting a monthly free bike repair co-op.

A San Diego man gets two Cervelos worth $46,000 back after they were stolen, thanks to the sharp eye of a neighbor.

After allowing a previous DIY protected bike lane to stay in place, San Francisco’s transportation department wastes little time in removing the latest guerilla installation.

A pair of bike riders are Bay Area heroes, as one retrieves a lost purse left on a bus, and the other leaps off his bike to save the life of a truck driver who’d just been stabbed.

A Vallejo cop hit a bicyclist while looking for a burglary suspect; the rider allegedly went through a red light while wearing all black with no lights on his bike.

A Folsom restaurant owner is collecting funds from the meals he sells to support the family of an Afghan refugee killed by a distracted driver while riding with his son last year.

 

National

A new report reminds us that homeowners who fight bikeways are just shooting themselves in the foot. Or rather, in the pocketbook.

Robin Williams’ bicycle collection raised $600,000 for charity.

A new study ranks the Philadelphia area as the second best place to ride a bike, behind the Minneapolis area and ahead of New York; the LA/OC region checks in at 37.

A new protected bike lane and wider sidewalks have resulted in zero fatalities on New York’s infamous Boulevard of Death, even though local residents don’t like it.

A Maine newspaper says the state’s Complete Streets policy won’t improve safety on the streets unless people in the state push for it to be fully funded and implemented.

 

International

A new British Columbia study says slow down while riding in urban areas to avoid inhaling toxic air pollution; 9.3 mph is recommended as the ideal speed to avoid sucking in too much smog.

An 83-year old Canadian grandmother is on a mission to give bicycles to underprivileged children, saying every child deserves a bike.

A homeless man gets 16 months in jail for knocking a cross-dressing Englishman off his bicycle with a shopping bag.

British tennis star Heather Watson says she was knocked over and verbally abused by someone on a bicycle.

Caught on video: A British driver makes an unsafe pass, then cuts back into his lane just in time to avoid a truck — and barely misses an eight-year old girl.

An Irish newspaper recounts the history of bicycling on the Emerald Isle.

Caught on video too: A Polish cyclist is lucky to walk away without serious injuries after being hit head-on.

Innovative approaches to bicycling and walking are leading Africa to a greener future, where four countries are among the world’s most dangerous for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Impoverished Johannesburg residents question whether bike lanes are racist and classist, after the city painted them without telling anyone who they were for or how to use them.

Life is cheap in Singapore, where the driver of a cement mixer gets a whopping ten weeks behind bars for killing a woman on a bike by failing to look at a pedestrian crossing.

It only took three years and a Freedom of Information request to learn a road raging Minneapolis bike rider and bus driver were both assholes.

Caught in video tres: A Singapore woman repeatedly slaps an elderly bike rider, while claiming she just got out of prison.

 

Finally…

The definition of bad luck: Someone steals your bike just two days after your car was stolen. If you want a free gold-plated Colnago, all you have to do is get elected pope.

And seriously, no sexting behind the wheel.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bike Events, Bikes & the Law, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Guest post: CiclaValley talks next Sunday’s Malibu Gran Cookie Fondo with pro cyclist Phil Gaimon

October 28, 2016 / / Comments Off on Guest post: CiclaValley talks next Sunday’s Malibu Gran Cookie Fondo with pro cyclist Phil Gaimon

I had the pleasure of attending the LACBC’s Firefly Ball last night as a guest of BikinginLA sponsor Jim Pocrass. Unfortunately, that kept me out late enough that I wasn’t able to get today’s Morning Links ready.

Instead, here’s the guest post from CiclaValley’s Zachary Rynew that was delayed by yesterday’s breaking news, as he talks with Toluca Lake resident and pro cyclist Phil Gaimon about next weekend’s inaugural Malibu Gran Cookie Fondo.

Come back over the weekend and we’ll catch up on all the news we missed.

………

Being Mr. CiclaValley has its perks. The top one is that I get to live in the valley, but to add to this charmed lifestyle, I’ve also befriended Toluca Lake resident and pro cyclist Phil Gaimon.

Phil Gaimon, all photos by Zachary Rynew

Phil Gaimon, photos by CiclaValley

If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he’s just another regular guy, not this famous, elite athlete with a cult following.

Maybe being really fast and riding expensive bikes would tip you off too, but even then….

Since he’s made this city his home, he’s always made time to help the local cycling community and took it upon himself to organize a cleanup of Mulholland.

To add to it, he’s hosting his inaugural Mailbu Gran Cookie Fondo on November 6th to give enthusiasts a top notch cycling event while also benefitting the City of Hope.

Phil is a pretty straightforward guy and answered some questions about life on the tour and his up coming ride.

Participants in Mulholland clean-up

Participants in Mulholland clean-up

Question: Why Malibu?

Phil Gaimon: Every time I tell someone that I live in Los Angeles, they ask how the hell I can train in a town known only for traffic and movie stars. The truth is that I’ve ridden all over the world, and I can’t say L.A. is the very best, but it’s part of a 20-way tie for a climber like me. Just north of the city, you’ve got the Pacific Coast Highway with the ocean on one side and a ridge of mountains on the other. There are tons of tiny roads up and down that ridge, with Mulholland on top — this twisty, beautiful road where they film every car commercial. You can climb around that ridge for days and never hit the same road twice. SoCal doesn’t have a proper post-season gran fondo, so I thought that the Malibu Gran Cookie Dough would be a fun way to show off my home roads and help L.A. get the reputation it deserves as a cycling destination.

Q: What’s the route like?

PG: We have three lengths: 46 miles, 87, and 118. They’re all really hilly, finishing off with an optional dirt climb that even the locals rarely tackle. Lots of suffering up steep climbs along the oceans, and then at the top you’ll see snowy mountains in the distance and dolphins in the water behind you. The weather is always perfect, and it’s a magical area to ride.

Q: And the cookies?

PG: Cookies are my thing. I think I mentioned in a blog a long time ago that I like them, and it snowballed. Now people bake cookies and bring them to me at races, Team Cannondale and Castelli are selling a cookie-themed team fan jersey, and I’m just embracing it because it’s the best thing I have going, and my teammates are all jealous.

There’s a cool restaurant in Santa Monica called M Street Kitchen, which is known for cookies. When I found out their celebrity chef rides bikes, we got to be friends. Jeff Mahin had just returned from the White House when I met him, so basically Obama tested the cookies for me. Jeff loved the idea of the Gran Fondo (which we’ve now dubbed the “Gran Cookie Dough”). Now we get to offer a great bike ride, and a celebrity chef providing cookies at the top of the climbs and a real gourmet lunch after. Team sponsors are all jumping in, so we’ll have some great swag to go with my local pro friends and Cannondale teammates.

Q: Tell us about the charity you’re supporting.

PG: My dad died of cancer last Fall, and City of Hope is a leading cancer research and treatment center. There’s a cycling club in L.A. called Fireflies that raises money for City of Hope with an annual five-day ride, and my friends there helped make the connection.

Q: Where do we get more information?

PG: Easiest way would be to visit our website, www.philsfondo.com or visit your local Cannondale Dealer for more info.

Q: When/Where/Why?

PG: Sunday, November 6th – Malibu, CA. Bikes, Cookies & Fun!

granfondo

Category: Bike Events, Guest Columns / Tags: , , ,

CiclaValley guest post postponed

October 27, 2016 / / Comments Off on CiclaValley guest post postponed

Due to this morning’s breaking news, Mr. CiclaValley’s interview with pro cyclist Phil Gaimon about next weekend’s inaugural Malibu Gran Cookie Fondo has been postponed.

It will appear on this site by noon tomorrow. My apologies for the delay.

Category: General /

Bike rider killed in Pacoima collision Wednesday night

October 27, 2016 / / 3 comments

The LAPD is reporting that a bike rider was killed in a collision in Pacoima late last night.

According to the press release, the victim was crossing Foothill Blvd mid-block between Van Nuys Blvd and Carl Street around 11:10 pm when a driver headed south on Foothill struck the back of his bike.

The rider, who has not been publicly identified, was thrown a considerable distance by the force of the impact, coming to rest in the center of the roadway. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital with injuries to his head and upper torso, where he was pronounced dead at 11:36.

The Daily News reports police estimate he was 39 years old.

The driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators. The force of the impact would suggest the driver may have been traveling faster than the posted 35 mph speed limit.

There’s no word on whether the victim had lights and reflectors on his bicycle, which should have made him visible as he crossed the street.

Anyone with information is urged to call Valley Traffic Division Office Martinez at 818/644-8032 or Det. III Bustos at 818/644-8021.

This is the 65th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, the 26th in LA County and the eighth in the City of Los Angeles. He also the third bicyclist killed on Foothill Blvd in the last three years, which suggests a need for significant safety improvements.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.

lapd-pacoima-bike-death

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

Morning Links: Road rage assault in San Diego County, and LAPD looking for shooter of Echo Park bike rider

October 27, 2016 / / 3 comments

Come back later today when we’ll have a guest post from Mr. CiclaValley himself as he talks with Toluca Lake resident and pro cyclist Phil Gaimon about next weekend’s inaugural Malibu Gran Cookie Fondo.

………

This is who we share the roads with.

San Diego’s 10News reports a road raging driver intentionally knocked a local radio host off his bicycle as he was escorting a disabled cyclist on the Coast Highway in Carlsbad, just a few miles from the end of the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s 620-mile Million Dollar Challenge.

As the rider worked to make it up a small hill, an impatient driver began honking his horn, despite a support van warning cyclists were ahead. So KOGO host Bob “Sully” Sullivan rode back to explain that his riding partner was a paraplegic using a handcycle to get up the hill.

“‘We’ve gone 590 miles, give me 90 seconds, I’ll have him up and over this grade, you can be on your way,'” Sullivan said he told the man. “Completely agitated, he says to me, ‘I don’t care if it’s f-ing God up there. Get out of the f-ing road.'”

Sullivan said that’s when he stopped talking to the man and got back on his bike. The truck’s driver accelerated and hit Sullivan’s bike, causing him to fall to the roadway.

Yet despite the presence of an off-duty Carlsbad cop riding in the opposite direction, no charges have been filed.

“I think he needs to be arrested,” Sullivan said. “Somebody who purposely hits somebody on a bicycle using his car is either assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, at the very least shouldn’t be driving a car right now.”

Seriously.

Thanks to Todd Munson for the heads-up.

………

The LAPD is asking for the public’s help in finding the person who shot and killed a bike rider in Echo Park last week; 37-year old William Perea was hit with gunfire as he rode at Mohawk and Montana the night of October 17th.

………

LADOT says safety remains the top priority on the LA River bike path, as they remind both walkers and bike riders about the statutes governing the pathway and the need to share it safely, in the wake of a collision with a bicyclist that sent an elderly woman to the hospital.

………

Equity is the common theme of the day.

Momentum Magazine looks at the nationwide movement to build greater equity in bicycling.

People for Bikes says the massive racial wealth gap is a major barrier to bicycle use, noting that a bike can’t save you money if you don’t have enough to buy one.

And Curbed looks at the speech given by the LACBC’s Tamika Butler that brought down the house at last month’s NACTO conference.

The LACBC deserves a lot of credit for starting this conversation, even before Butler came on board, with its outreach to lower income immigrant communities in the last decade. Along with notable presentations at the National Bike Summit that marked the bike coalition as a national leader on the subject.

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Don’t forget to vote for LA Bike Trains and SAFE (Streets Are For Everyone) for this year’s LA2050 challenge grants; voting ends tomorrow.

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Local

KCET discovers the delicious marriage of bicycling and desserts that is Sweet Ride USA, with new episodes appearing online every Wednesday through November 16th.

KPCC discusses solutions to the first mile/last mile problem for transit users.

The Westwood Village Improvement Association discusses how to improve business and better serve the surrounding community. Oddly, making it safer to walk and bike there doesn’t seem to be an option, even though both would benefit the Village’s long suffering businesses.

Pasadena’s bikeshare system is expected to open next July as the Metro Bike system expands northward; the system is expected to have 400 bikes at 34 docking stations around the city.

The new and improved Agoura Road, complete with shiny new bike lanes, opens in Agoura Hills after a year of construction.

Cycling in the South Bay’s Seth Davidson recounts Tuesday’s civil obedience protest ride and lengthy council session in Palos Verdes Estates in his own inimitable style.

 

State

Hats off to OC’s Special Spokes and the San Clemente Rotary for providing special-needs kids with adaptive bicycles. With all the negativity this election year, it’s nice to see people working to make a real difference in kids lives.

A Clovis driver faces up to a year in jail for fatally rear-ending a bike rider last April.

An unidentified man was shot and killed as he rode his bike in Fresno Tuesday night; police are unsure if the shooting was gang-related.

 

National

There’s a special place in hell for someone who would steal a bicycle on loan to a vet from Ride 2 Recovery so he could ride across the US with his dog, who’s suffering from terminal cancer. And in my hometown, no less.

Bike lawyer Bob Mionske writes about a new Close Call Database allowing bike riders to report punishment passes from angry motorists to establish a paper trail in case the driver does it again. Or worse.

A Texas rider says learn to ride safely and obey the law, or don’t ride at all.

A Maine newspaper says the technology for today’s carbon fiber bicycles got its start in the state with Aegis Bicycle, but the company couldn’t hold out against increasing competition and the demand for ever lighter frames.

New York tells cyclists and pedestrians to make themselves more visible, and drivers to pay more attention, in advance of the end of daylight savings time next month. Meanwhile, a new proposal would allow bike riders to get a head start at traffic signals by going with the walk signal for the leading pedestrian interval.

Who was that masked man? A Bronx bike rider is a hero after retrieving a woman’s stolen purse, then riding off before she could thank him. No word on whether he left a silver bike chainlink behind.

Philadelphia police arrested a 17-year old boy in the shooting of a Good Samaritan who got off his bicycle to try to stop an armed robbery; he faces charges including attempted murder and aggravated assault.

Bikes and dogs are now officially banned from Arlington National Cemetery.

A Charleston writer says the city deserves the distinction of being called America’s worst city for bicycling.

 

International

You know Calgary has a lot of bike riders when the city’s bike counter gets maxed out with 68 days still left in the year.

Ella Cycling Tips offers advice on how to recover mentally from a bicycling crash.

Life is cheap in Belize, where champion cyclist Marlon Castillo is fined just $13,000 for the careless driving collision that killed his friend.

Ottawa police release a new PSA campaign explaining how to use and drive around the city’s new bike box and bi-directional bike lanes.

Caught on video: A British cabbie clips a cyclist with his mirror, then launches into a foul-mouthed temper tantrum claiming the rider somehow hit him. And yet some actually question who was in the right.

Tom Cruise is one of us, as he reportedly rides through the English countryside with his new girlfriend.

A Brit cyclist born with just one arm is raising funds to buy a prosthetic arm so he can compete in the Paralympic Games; a Go Fund Me account has raised a little more than half of the £7,500 goal, the equivalent of $9157.

A nine-year old cyclist may be a better climber than most of us, topping Italy’s famed Mt. Ventoux and Stelvio climbs in under 48 hours.

An Aussie writer says Sydney needs to focus less on fining bike riders and more on building some decent infrastructure for them.

A German cyclist survives a night in the snake and crocodile-infested Australian wilds after taking a header over his handlebars and dislocating is shoulder.

 

Finally…

If you’re going to use a bicycle to make your getaway after stealing a bag-full of booze, try not to ride into a lamppost. Why settle for a mere sag wagon when you can have your very own bike butler?

And in LA we have police chases; in London, it’s investment bankers biking away from bobbies.

 

Category: Car vs Bike, Morning Links, Road Rage, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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