The victim was riding on Pacific Avenue (or Pacific Blvd) near 45th Street around 6:30 am Wednesday when he was run down by a driver traveling south on Pacific. He was knocked into the northbound lane, where he was hit by the second driver.
Neither driver remained at the scene and assisted the victim, as required by law. There’s no description of either driver or their vehicles at this time.
There’s no word on how quickly the second crash followed the first, or if it could have been prevented if the first driver had simply stopped after the crash to warn approaching drivers about victim lying in the roadway.
This is at least the 49th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
Eighteen of those SoCal drivers have now fled the scene, or more than one out of every three fatal crashes involving someone on a bicycle since the first of this year.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for William Valle and all his loved ones.
October 22, 2025 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Melrose CicLAvia visits the Upside Down, BikeLA hosts Bike Fest Happy Hour, and it pays to pay people to bike to work
Day 295 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
On Sunday, November 23, fans are invited to join the Netflix x CicLAvia—Melrose Ave: Stranger Things 5 One Last Ride – an epic event bringing fans together to bike, skate, or stroll along a car-free stretch of Melrose Ave in celebration of the cultural phenomenon’s fifth and final season.
For one day only, fans will step into the world of Stranger Things with immersive photo ops, pedal-powered activations, live entertainment, merch, giveaways, and an exclusive content drop – all taking place just days before Volume 1 hits Netflix on November 26th at 5pm PT.
We’re going full 1980s, and you’re invited to join the fun: show up as your favorite Hawkins character or monster of the Upside Down, or channel peak ‘80s vibes with neon, leg warmers, windbreakers, or any retro fit.
If that’s not enough for you, fans can also choose to take part in a special quest along the route. Rack up pins by completing various activities on our quest map to unlock additional surprises.
The event is open to all and no RSVP will be needed. Just grab your bike, board, skates, sneakers… even your stroller, and head on out to Melrose Avenue for a day of fun, community, and adventure.
Meanwhile, Active Streets will beat CicLAvia to the punch with the five-mile Corazón de Valle on November 2nd, which is the perfect opportunity to bust out your best Dia de Los Muertos outfit.
Work commissioned by the Cycle to Work Alliance has found the economic benefit of the cycle to work scheme to be worth £573 million ‘across retail, productivity, health, and household savings.’
The research found that participants in the scheme saved £1,262 per year by switching out their commute from a car to a cycle, or e-bike and the incentive results in 38% of participants commuting by bike for the very first time.
That works out to $1,689 per person per year, just by ditching their car for a bicycle.
The way it works is you pick out the bicycle and safety gear you want, and your employer buys it for you. Then you pay it back through a monthly salary deduction.
So depending on the price of the bicycle and the payment period, you could turn a profit in the first year. Or pay it off quicker, and turn a profit every year after that.
Cycling Electric calls the program imperfect, because anyone who is unemployed or self-employed is left out, among other issues.
But it still beats the hell out of any bike to work program I know of in this country.
………
Streetsblog takes a look at the new Toronto barrier on the 3rd Street bike lane in DTLA.
Bluesky post
………
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
The mean streets of America are getting meaner.
A Portland driver was caught on video repeatedly ramming his SUV into a bike rider protecting a “No Kings” protest rally, yet the cops refused to even cite the driver because they said the victim shouldn’t have been blocking the street in the first place. Which is kinda like saying you can punch someone in the face if they’re jaywalking.
The bike lanes on the Bay Area’s Richmond-San Rafael bridge will now only be open to bicycles on Thursday evenings through Sunday, serving as a breakdown lane for cars the rest of the week. Because apparently, cars only break down on weekdays, and people only bike on weekends.
They get it. New York Streetsblog says the problem with ebikes isn’t the relatively sedate ped-assist bikes, it’s the super-fast illegal ones.
A 71-year old North Carolina man was critically injured when he was struck by a driver after swerving into the car’s path — which actually seems to be the case for a change, since the crash was caught on a doorbell cam. The usual warning applies, so be sure you want to see it before you click on the link, because you can’t unsee it afterwards.
A group of Dutch tourists learned the hard way to avoid local protests, when their bike tour took them into Valencia, Spain’s Old Town and they were surrounded by angry anti-tourism demonstrators yelling “Fuera, fuera!” (“Out, out”).
That would put it in the vicinity of Lifeguard Station 13.
Police arrived to find the victims strewn in the traffic lane, their shattered bicycles on the side of the road.
One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene; he has not been publicly identified at this time.
However, KTLA-5 reported on air that the victims were members of a Long Beach bike club.
The driver fled the scene, but was arrested after stopping on the side of the road about half-a-mile away. Given the damage to the victims and their bikes, it’s likely her 2006 Mercedes E-Class wasn’t in drivable condition.
If she has a previous DUI on her record, those charges would likely be upgraded to murder.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash. However, under California law, DUI can be considered a contributing factor, but not the proximate cause of any collision.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team of the Huntington Beach Police Department at 714/536-5670.
This is at least the 48th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in Orange County.
Drivers have fled the scene in 16 of those SoCal crashes, or one out of every three fatal crashes involving someone on a bicycle since the first of the year.
There’s still no word on the identities or condition of the other victims.
Update 2: We have more information about the victims, thanks to a crowdfunding page for Eric Williams’ family, and a press release from the Orange County District Attorney’s office.
I’ll just let his family tell the story.
Our family is heartbroken. On October 20th, our brother-in-law Eric Williams — a devoted husband, father of four, and beloved pastor — was tragically killed while cycling in Huntington Beach. We’re doing everything we can to surround our sister Robyn and the kids with love and stability, and so many have asked how they can help. This fund has been created to support them through the days ahead.
Eric was a Godly man with a heart for Jesus and for people. He spent his life serving others — first as a youth and teaching pastor at Seaside Community Church, and later as the founder of Community Church of West Garden Grove. He was kind, funny, and steady in his faith, always lifting others up.
He and Robyn had just celebrated 20 years of marriage. Their children — Julia (high school freshman), Jeanette (6th grade), Alice (4th grade), and little James (3 years old) — were his greatest joy.
Calderon was charged with one felony count of hit and run causing permanent injury or death, and two felony counts of hit and run with injury.
Thanks to California’s lax hit-and-run laws, she faces a maximum sentence of 5 years and four months, according to the DA’s office. She did not enter a plea, and the hearing was rescheduled for Nov. 13 in the West Justice Center in Westminster.
Yes, that’s all.
Although the charges and possible jail time could change, depending on the results of her toxicology report.
The DA’s office says the other two victims, who should not be overlooked in the anger and grief over Williams death, suffered serious injuries “including spinal fractures, broken ribs, a broken ankle, as well as cuts and bruises.”
The press release also provides more information on how Calderon was taken into custody.
Despite having significant damage to her hood, windshield, front bumper and losing her passenger side mirror at the site of the collision, Calderon is accused of driving on a flat tire for another 2/3 of a mile to a beach parking lot at Magnolia Street and driving past the parking kiosk without paying.
A parking attendant flagged her down before a witness to the crash blocked Calderon in with his vehicle and told the parking attendant not to let her leave because she had just hit three bicyclists. The parking attendant radioed for the California State Parks Police to respond.
Calderon was arrested on suspicion of felony hit and run resulting in death or injury, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony driving under the influence causing death or injury, and possession of a hard drug with a prior conviction. Toxicology results are still pending.
My News LA reports that Calderon has previous convictions for misdemeanor petty theft, felony sale or transport of a controlled substance, and misdemeanor burglary.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Eric John Williams and the other victims and their loved ones. And best wishes for a full and fast recovery for the survivors.
Thanks to Michael, Zachary, James Johnson, Jeffrey, Mike and William for the heads-up.
October 20, 2025 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on 86-year old San Diego bike rider critically injured, La Quinta hit-and-run driver injures 2 teens, and check your bone health
Day 293 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
Point Loma’s Greg Bowerman adds that “good bone health demands solid weight-bearing activity, such as pumping weights or practicing yoga” to prevent fractures as we age.
I’m dealing with the same problem myself after a lifetime of riding, on top of all my other health issues brought on by diabetes, despite weight training. Although I’ve been lucky that I haven’t broken anything yet.
Speakers include Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez (District 13), Alissa Walker (Torched.la), Bill Wolkoff (co-executive producer, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds), with more to be announced!
When: Monday, November 17th at 7:30pm
Where: Dynasty Typewriter, 2511 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Lots of transit options!
Optional VIP reception begins at 6pm (free if you are part of our Members Club with the purchase of a general admission ticket).
A Santa Clarita man says he feels like a broken record after repeated complaints about kids on ebikes. Although as we’ve repeatedly pointed out, the problems stem primarily from teens on electric dirt bikes and motorbikes, many of them illegal, rather than ped-assist ebikes. But almost no one seems to make that distinction.
State
A La Jolla paper examines the roots of ebikes, which it says are “loved by riders and loathed by many who share the streets with them.” Although you may have to get past the paper’s paywall to read it.
Sad news from Palo Alto, where a man in his 80s died over a week after he was struck by a driver in his 90s while riding his bicycle. Once again raising the question of how old is too old to drive safety. And like the man in Barrio Logan, anyone still riding a bike at that age deserves better.
Vox takes a look at the traffic revolution that’s making cities cleaner — and happier — as more cities are finally choosing bikes over cars. Unlike, say, a certain SoCal megalopolis we could name. And once again, you may have to find a way around their paywall.
Denver business owners complain about bullying after they opposed bikeways in front of their stores, including doxxing, negative Yelp reviews and harassing phone calls. Seriously, don’t do that. We’re far better off in the long run winning the day with better arguments, not harassment.
A former English pastor was remembered as a “keen cyclist” known for riding around town delivering a basket full of food he had grown or cooked to local families, after he passed away at 90. Which is about as nice an epitaph as anyone could hope for.
Velo says pro cycling’s soccer-inspired relegation system is just a hot mess that solves nothing, as the richest teams keep winning and the smaller teams pay the price. Although one thing that might help is limiting the size of pro rosters or capping payrolls, so they have to spread the talent around a little.
October 17, 2025 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on The most dangerous intersections in deadly LA, injured Yaroslovsky staffer ID’d, and remembering Pepperdine PCH victims
Day 290 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
Particularly now that city officials longer seem to think we need to know such things.
Maybe because it points to what a colossal, stinking mound of crap they’ve given us when it comes to improving traffic safety here in the City of Angels.
Take Vision Zero, for instance.
Please.
In 2015, then-Mayor Eric Garcetti used an executive order to launch “Vision Zero,” an initiative designed to dramatically reduce traffic deaths through a wide-ranging set of proposed improvements to road design, education and more. Despite the aim of eliminating traffic deaths by 2025, road safety took a turn for the worse. This spring, the city released a lengthy audit of what went wrong.
Among the causes: Only half of the listed “actions” were ever completed. The plan lacked a program for accountability among city departments. There was poor coordination and diminishing participation from the LAPD’s traffic division.
In fact, traffic deaths have exceeded murders for the past three years. And already exceed the totals from 2015, with two full months to go.
The same with serious injury crashes, which have topped 1,500 for three years running, and likely will again.
The worst of the worst, though, is the notorious intersection of South Figueroa and Slauson.
Where South Figueroa crosses Slauson Avenue, bad things happen. Over the past four years, the intersection has been the scene of 17 felony hit-and-run collisions and five severe injuries. The crosswalks aren’t safe, either: seven pedestrians have been struck there.
All told, there were 66 serious collisions at the intersection, which is in the Vermont Slauson neighborhood in South Los Angeles, making it the most dangerous in the entire city during that period.
Then again, the rest of the South Figueroa corridor isn’t much better, with the intersections at Manchester, Florence and Gage also making the list.
Sepulveda makes the list three times, as does Western. Roscoe appears twice in just the top four, where it crosses Sepulveda and at Van Nuys.
Surprisingly, Sunset is only on there twice, where it crosses Highland, and a few blocks east at La Brea.
And Hollywood and Highland checks in a number 11. Which means it evidently wasn’t fixed in 2015 when all-way crossing was installed, after all.
So much for assurances from city officials.
Pedestrian deaths have exceeded the pre-Vision Zero totals for every single year after 2015, as have serious injuries and total traffic deaths.
Unfortunately, the stats don’t break out bicycling deaths, so we still don’t know how many bike riders have actually been killed on the mean streets of Los Angeles in recent years.
Tran, who serves as Yaroslavsky’s business development deputy, was taken to a hospital with multiple fractures. Kobe, who was frequently by Tran’s side at community events, died as a result of being struck by the pickup. Tran posted about the incident on Instagram on Oct. 13.
“It was one week ago on Sunday morning that a hit-and-run driver struck me and killed Kobe while starting our morning walk. I sustained three broken ribs, three fractured vertebrae, a fractured fibula and two fractures in my cheekbones that required surgery. Kobe … died at the ER vet,” Tran said. “I’m recovering at home now, mourning the loss of Kobe and trying to make sense of it all. I’ve received countless gifts of flowers, food and care packages and I’m sincerely grateful for belonging to such a generous and caring community. My injuries will eventually heal but the loss of Kobe is a heartache I’ve not felt since the loss of my parents.”
According to the paper, the driver, identified only as a Los Angeles woman in her 30s, allegedly ran the stop sign at Eighth Street and Cloverdale Ave around 8:30 am on Sunday, Oct. 5th.
She stopped briefly after striking them, then left the scene without getting out of her pickup, leaving Tran and her dog lying injured and bleeding in the street. She was released on her own recognizance after turning herself in later that day, pending charges of felony hit-and-run causing injury.
Police don’t believe she was under the influence at the time of the crash, although the delay in turning herself in means she could have had time to sober up, if she was.
If this whole damn thing has left you anywhere near as angry and heartbroken as I am, Tran asks for donations in Kobe’s memory to Queen’s Best Stumpy Dog Rescue, the corgi rescue she volunteers with.
Streets Are For Everyone, aka SAFE, will host a press conference and remembrance today near the site of the crash, at the heartbreaking white PCH Ghost Tire Memorial.
Here is the group’s press release for the event, in case you want to attend all or part of it.
Honoring the Four Pepperdine Students
Killed on Pacific Coast Highway on the 2nd Anniversary of their Passing
October 17, 2025, Malibu, California – On October 17, 2023, four Pepperdine University seniors — Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams — were struck and killed by a speeding driver on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu while walking along PCH after parking their car. All four were members of the Alpha Phi sorority and beloved members of the Pepperdine community.
Their tragic deaths sparked a wave of grief and outrage throughout Malibu and beyond, renewing calls for safety improvements along PCH — one of California’s most dangerous roadways. The tragedy galvanized city, state, and community leaders to honor the memory of these four young women whose futures were cut short by taking action to prevent future loss of life.
October 17, 2025 is the 2nd anniversary of this tragedy. While the focus of the press event is to remember four young lives tragically cut short–and the work of making progress improvements will never fully measure up to the families’ grief of lives lost–the important work of paying tribute by improving public safety continues. The urgency of improving safety is never more acute than on October 17 when we pause to remember their lives.
When:
Friday, October 17, 2025
Press Conference: 2:30 – 3:00 PM
Remembrance Event: 4:00 – 5:00 PM
Where:
PCH Ghost Tire Memorial
Pacific Coast Highway and Webb Way
Roughly 23661 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265
PRESS CONFERENCE (2:30 – 3:00 PM)
Officials and advocates will honor the memory of the four Pepperdine students whose lives were tragically lost in 2023 and report on efforts to make the Pacific Coast Highway safer.
Confirmed Speakers:
Bridget Thompson, Roommate and close friends with Niamh, Peyton, Asha, and Deslyn (Opening remarks and emcee)
Senator Ben Allen, California State Senate
Lee Habor, Caltrans Representative
Rep for Supervisor Lindsey Horvath
Captain Jared I. Perry, CHP West Valley Area
Captain Dustin Carr, Lost Hills Sheriff’s Department
Councilmember Doug Stewart, City of Malibu
Michel Shane, Emily Shane Foundation & Fix PCH
David Rolston, Father of Niamh Rolston
REMEMBRANCE EVENT (4:00 – 5:00 PM)
Who: Open to the public — friends, families, students from Pepperdine University, and community members are all invited to attend.
Program:
Moment of Silence
Release of Four White Doves
Music by Skyla Woodward (vocals) and Alima Ovali (guitar), Pepperdine University students
Words of Remembrance: An open mic will be available for anyone wishing to share memories or reflections, guided by an emcee.
This project began as Vinita Weir’s wish, in memory of her daughter, and has since been expanded — at the request of all family members — to honor all four Pepperdine students.
The meeting will take place at the Pacoima City Hall at 13520 Van Nuys Blvd.
Among their primary priorities are,
1. Make LADOT a chartered department that has responsibility to construct and maintain streets property line to property line, moving the Bureau of Street Services under LADOT.
Since being formed in 1979 under City administrative code, LADOT is responsible for planning nearly all of LA’s transportation projects without the ability to construct streets or sidewalks – a responsibility currently given to Public Works in the City Charter. Giving LADOT this authority would align LA with most large cities in the nation, where the department that manages streets safety and traffic flow also has the ability to effectively build and maintain streets and sidewalks.
2. Shore up street funding with a regular percent of city assessed property values.
LADOT and BSS have lost a significant number of staff in recent budgets and do not have the capacity to effectively deliver services in a timely manner. Currently in the City Charter, Parks and Rec and the Library departments are unique in receiving a dedicated percent of all taxable property values which ensures reliable funding for some of LA’s most vital public services. We believe streets, the City’s largest public space, should also be granted this privilege.
3. Change the City budget to a 2 year cycle and formalize a 5 year Capital Improvement Plan.
The benefits of both of these suggestions have been well researched and proposed by other groups, for the simple reason that not all infrastructure projects are going to fit neatly in a single city fiscal year. Long term planning can reduce costs and improve efficiency in delivering projects. While not every City formalizes a CIP in the City Charter, other large peer cities such as NYC, Houston, and San Jose do. A 2-year city budget and 5-year CIP process would allow departments to improve management of projects, staff capacity, and delivery timelines.
4. Replace the board of public works with a director position similar to other City departments.
The Board of Public Works is over 100 years old and has a unique management structure compared to other departments inside the City of LA by reporting to both a board and a director. It is also unique as a vehicle for structuring Public Works. The department should be run by a single director with a clear line of authority between the Mayor’s office, the department, and the Bureaus inside.
City leaders in Leeds, England are calling for banning bicycles and ebikes from one of the busiest main streets in West Yorkshire, even though bikes represent just three percent of the 250,000 people who use the street every week. And once again, bicycles of every kind — both regular bikes and ped-assist ebikes — are lumped together with electric motorbikes, as one woman calls ebikes “a fatality waiting to happen.”
Westminster police busted a man with seven open felony warrants after a brief pursuit on his bicycle, and discovered he was carrying 200 grams of meth, 15 grams of fentanyl and “other items indicative of drug sales,” as well as being a convicted felon in possession of a gun. Although they don’t explain what justification they used to initiate a stop, let alone a police chase.
A pair of San Raphael men were termed “prolific bike thieves” after they were busted for stealing a number high-end ebikes, with police saying they had been arrested many times before for bike theft and drug possession.
A new lawsuit alleges an NYPD officer intentionally swerved into a man as he was riding a mo-ped against traffic in a bike lane; the cop reported he swerved to avoid the victim, but surveillance video exactly the opposite.
The fiancée of a fallen North Carolina bicyclist tries to turn tragedy into life saving by urging the city council to use his death, as well as two other bicyclists who were also killed by a dump truck driver, as a catalyst to improve safety on local roads.
October 16, 2025 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Move along, nothing to see here — overly opaque CHP edition
Due to the time I wasted spent trying to figure out what the CHP was saying about the fatal bike crash in El Cajon — and especially what the hell they left out — it’s too late to start work on a new Morning Links post for Thursday.
Don’t blame me, blame them.
We’ll be back Friday to catch up on anything we missed.
More on the hit-and-run crash that severely injured a staffer for CD5 Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, and killed her beloved corgi.
