Win a GoPro from San Bernardino Parks, draw a bike critter, win a Schwinn, and updated bike events

June 16, 2012 / / Comments Off on Win a GoPro from San Bernardino Parks, draw a bike critter, win a Schwinn, and updated bike events

I normally don’t simply repost press releases.

But I’m going to make an exception for this contest sponsored by San Bernardino County Parks that could win you a new GoPro camera. But hurry, because this has been gathering virtual dust in my inbox for the last couple weeks, so you have less than two weeks left to enter.

San Bernardino County Parks is kicking off the summer with a photo contest. By snapping a “people” photo at one of San Bernardino County’s eight participating regional parks and entering it into our contest, you could win one of several great prizes, including a GoPro high definition camera.

The Facebook contest runs from June 1-30, 2012. To enter, visit San Bernardino County Parks’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SBCRegParks and click the “Win a GoPro” tab. One photo is allowed per participant, and the photo with the most votes by the end of the contest period will win the first prize of a versatile GoPro camera, which is wearable, gear-mountable and captures both still images and video in high definition.

The second- and third-place winners will receive two Annual Park Passes, along with a $50 or $25 gift certificate to Bass Pro Shops. The passes are good for one year’s free admission to participating San Bernardino County regional parks, including free parking, with the exception of holidays and special events.

Participants must submit a photo of themselves, family, or friends enjoying their favorite outdoor activity while on the grounds of one of San Bernardino County’s eight participating regional parks. Activities could include hiking, biking, boating, swimming, gold panning, kickball, fishing or any other outdoor activity that contestants can dream up. The most important ingredients to a winning entry are creativity and fun!

Official contest rules can be found on the parks’ Facebook page.

The participating parks are:

  • Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park
  • Prado Regional Park
  • Glen Helen Regional Park
  • Yucaipa Regional Park
  • Lake Gregory Regional Park
  • Mojave River Forks Regional Park
  • Mojave Narrows Regional Park
  • Calico Ghost Town Regional Park

Please share this information with your friends and family. The more photos, the more fun. Have a great summer!

For more information about upcoming activities and events, follow San Bernardino Parks at:

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As a lead-up to August’s Cause for Creativity: Tour da Arts, the Santa Monica Museum of Art is inviting you to draw your own bike critter; submissions are due by midnight on Thursday, June 21.

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Schwinn is giving away a bike a day in their Ride of a Lifetime contest through June 25th. Just visit their website or like them on Facebook, then enter with their simple three-part process:

  • Pick a friend to share the journey with
  • Choose a bike from the wide range of Schwinn products
  • Every time you enter a friend, Schwinn will enter you, too

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Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

The City of Malibu is hosting a follow-up workshop to discuss the PCH Bike Route Improvement Project for the portion of highway west of the city. The meeting will take place  from 10 am to noon at Malibu City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road. If you bike the coast highway, you owe it to yourself to attend, because this will affect the road you ride on.

Serious Cycling is sponsoring a full day of racing on Saturday, June 16th with the Jailhouse Race on the grounds of the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic. The three-quarter mile crit starts at 7 am and continues past three pm with the elite men’s race.

The LASD Cycling is hosting their 2nd annual R2R Honor Ride to benefit Ride 2 Recovery as they support wounded veterans on Saturday, June 16th starting at the Calabasas/Lost Hills Sheriff Station, 27050 Agoura Road in Calabasas.

The first annual B3 charity bike ride will raise funds for the Pablove Foundation with beer and food specials on a laid-back bike, brunch and beer ride on Saturday, June 16th, while making a loop between Golden Road Brewing, Tony’s Darts Away and Mohawk Bend. If you haven’t signed up already, you’re too late — the ride is sold out, but all three bars will be open to the public.

Explore South L.A. while you help map a route to Watts Towers on Sunday, June 17th with Ride South LA. Join the Eastside Riders BC and a host of other groups and individuals in photographing landmarks along the way to help map the cultural and neighborhood assets in L.A. cycling’s undiscovered country south of I-10. Meet at Augustus Hawkins Natural Park at 10 am.

Wednesday, June 20th, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s Grad Night will showcase research conducted by UCLA Urban Planning students supported by the Coalition. Afterwards, you’ll have a chance to brainstorm and vote on ideas inspired by the research. The event takes place from 6:30 pm to 8:30 at LACBC Headquarters, 634 South Spring Street.

Join the Mountains Restoration Trust and Heal the Bay in restoring critical riparian habitats within Malibu Creek State Park by riding to sites that are too far to hike to. Mountain bikers — or anyone capable of riding a dirt fire road — are invited to join them on Saturday, June 23rd from 8:45 am to noon at Malibu Creek State Park, 1925 Las Virgenes Road; bring your sunscreen and be ready to work.

Mark your calendar for the next meeting of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s new Civic Engagement Committee at 6:45 pm on Tuesday, June 26th; location to be determined. Help us work to get candidates for mayor and city council in Los Angeles and other area cities on the record for their stands on bicycling issues to ensure the election of more bike-friendly political leaders. Future meetings will be held on the last Tuesday of every month.

Ride in the El Sereno Independence Day Parade with the Eastside Bike Club on Saturday, June 30th, followed by a concert and fireworks. Meet at 1 pm at the El Sereno Library, 5226 S. Huntington Drive to decorate bikes.

The LACBC’s Sunday Funday rides take place on the first Sunday of every month, with the next ride scheduled for Sunday, July 1st. This month’s ride will be led by popular L.A. cyclist and blogger Will Campbell in cooperation with yours truly, with a special guest appearance by Mark Elliot of Better Bike, as we explore the mean streets, proposed bike routes and fascinating trivia of the Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills. The moderately paced, one-of-a-kind Beverly Thrills Ride will meet at 9 am and roll promptly at 9:30 am, location to be determined.

Sunday, July 1st, Shuntain Thomas, the Real Rydaz and We Are Responsible People (WARP) will host a ride through the streets of South Los Angeles to raise attention to the problem of childhood obesity and streets as recreational space. The ride starts at 10 am at Exposition Park, and ends at a street festival at 86th Street and Vermont Avenue.

The Antelope Valley’s High Desert Cyclists hosts a series of monthly Brunch Rides starting at Marie Kerr Park on 30th Street West in Palmdale on the second Saturday of each month. The comfortably paced 15 to 20 mile rides will visit a local restaurant or coffee shop for brunch before returning to the starting point; organizers promise no rider will be left behind. The next ride is scheduled for Saturday, July 14th with successive rides scheduled for August 11th, September 8th and October 13th.

Sunday, July 15th marks the opening reception for Country and City: Art by Rick Cummings and Joe Linton from 3 pm to 7 pm at the Barbara Mendes Gallery at 2701 S. Robertson Blvd. As you may know, Joe Linton is an exceptional artist in addition to being one of L.A.’s leading bike — and river — advocates, while Rick Cummings is Art Director at ARC School of Hope.

The 2012 GranFondo Cannondale Los Angeles rolls on Sunday, July 15th starting at Saddlerock Ranch at Malibu Family Wines, 31727 Mulholland Highway, offering rides of 40 and 75 miles; registration closes at 9 pm on Friday, June 8th.

Stately Pasadena will be invaded with cyclists when the Pasadena edition of the Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia settles in for a weekend of biking events, starting with a two day expo at Pasadena City Hall, followed by rides of 29, 64 and 83-ish miles on Sunday. It all takes place Saturday, July 21st and Sunday, July 22nd; registration closes Wednesday, July 18th.

On July 28th, join Wolfpack Hustle — yes, the cycling team that beat a jet to Long Beach — for the Midnight Drag Race: Codename “The Final Effin Sayso” as single speed cyclists race through Downtown’s famed 2nd Street tunnel. Sign-up starts at 10:30 at 2nd and Hill Street, with the first heats beginning at 11 pm.

The 4th Annual California Tour de Dreams 2012 will take place August 9th through 19th as cyclists will ride 540 miles from UC Berkeley to UCLA to educate communities about the passage of the California Dream Act and advocate for passage of the Federal Dream Act; register online by May 31st.

Bikes are normally banned from the famed San Diego – Coronado Bay Bridge, but you can ride it on Sunday, August 26th, during the 5th Annual Bike the Bay, to benefit the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition. Get an early registration discount through April 30th.

Early registration has opened for the national Pro Walk/Pro Bike® conference to be held September 10th through 13th in Long Beach. The 17th annual conference is sponsored by the National Center for Bicycling and Walking, and Project for Public Spaces.

This year’s Tour de Fat will take place on Saturday, September 15th at Los Angeles State Historic Park — and this time, it’s not scheduled on the Jewish high holidays, so everyone can attend.

Mark your calendar for the next CicLAvia from 10 am to 3 pm on October 14th; more details to follow.

Category: Bike Events, General / Tags: , , , , ,

Catching up: More on last week’s fatal hit-and-run, a bike-in movie and a Malibu meeting on PCH

June 15, 2012 / / One comment

Just a few quick notes as I try to catch up on life this week.

After checking with sources with the LAPD, there’s not much more information on last Friday’s fatal hit-and-run that took the life of a cyclist on Nordhoff Street. The victim, who has not been named publicly, is identified only as a 76-year old male Northridge resident.

However, they have released a updated description of the suspect vehicle. If you see the car or have any information, please contact the police immediately at the number below.

Let’s nail this heartless coward before he — or she — gets away with it.

Update: The LAPD has identified the victim as Paul Albert Helfen; a $50,000 reward is being offered for the arrest and conviction of his killer.

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With everything that’s been going on, I haven’t had a chance to update the Events page for a couple of weeks. So forgive me for the last minute notification on a couple of items.

First up, the L.A. Film Fest is inviting cyclists to attend a free bike-in screening of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial at 8:30 pm tonight at Figand7th in Downtown L.A

30th Anniversary Screening
“Bike-In” Theater with bicycle valet, food truck and prizes

Possibly the greatest scene in one of our favorite films of all time, the image of Elliott and E.T. riding a bike through the sky, silhouetted by a full moon, has delighted generations of movie lovers. Now, celebrate their iconic ride with one of your own, as you pedal your way to our downtown “Bike-In” theater for a special, outdoor screening of the newly remasteredE.T., Steven Spielberg’s timeless classic of a little boy and his best friend from outer space. We can’t guarantee your bike will take flight, but your spirits will surely soar.

  • Ride your bicycle and we’ll valet it for free and give you one screening voucher for the LA Film Festival
  • Swing by the Yelp photo booth
  • DJ Del Rey will spin 80’s tunes
  • Nosh on delicious eats from José O’Malley’s food truck
  • Swing by the Arts Brookfield Info tent for parking validations and prizes

And the City of Malibu is holding a follow-up workshop this Saturday to discuss the PCH Bike Route Improvement Project for the portion of highway west of the city. The meeting will take place at from 10 am to noon at Malibu City Hal, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road.

From what I’ve seen, it looks like they’ve got some exciting ideas. But if you ride PCH — or would like to — you owe it to yourself to attend, because this will affect the road you ride on.

Update: The LAPD has identified the victim as Paul Albert Helfen; a $50,000 reward is being offered for the arrest and conviction of his killer.

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The San Francisco cyclist who killed a pedestrian while blowing through an intersection on a yellow light at an alleged 35 mph will face a charge of vehicular manslaughter, based in part on his actions leading up to the collision — something we’ve been told can’t be held against a motorist in similar cases. Meanwhile, an 80-year old DC area woman is killed by another cyclist on a multi-use pathway, just days after an El Cerrito woman was killed under similar circumstances; always, always always give pedestrians the right-of-way, even when they’re in your way. Thanks to Don Blount for the heads-up.

A ghost bike has been installed for Guadalupe Cruz, the 81-year old cyclist killed by a massive tractor-trailer in Fillmore last week. Making it that much more tragic, Cruz was on his way to meet his wife at a mass for their son, who was killed five years earlier. But what makes this even more touching is that I’m told the bike was prepared and placed by Anthony Navarro, whose own six-year old son was killed while riding his bike last Thanksgiving. Now that’s class. Thanks to Danny Gamboa for the news.

The LACBC is starting a Neighborhood Bike Ambassador Program to help support bike projects and programs on the street level. If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to do more to make your own neighborhood safer and more inviting to ride, here’s your chance.

Finally, Caltrans is just getting around to owning up to closing the North Fork Coyote Creek bike trail — something you may have read about here nearly a month ago. Nice work getting the word out in a timely manner, guys.

And a maniac Bakersfield driver may still be on the road, despite killing a motorcyclist and receiving three previous speeding tickets already this year — the last one just five days before she ran the rider down from behind.

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

So let me tell you about my Sunday…

June 13, 2012 / / 8 comments

It was, as a far better writer once put it, the best of times and the worst of times.

In that order.

Once again, the good folks at GEKLaw offered to let me ride as part of their team for this year’s River Ride.

But while I jumped at the chance to join them — particularly since this year’s ride honored GEKLaw bike attorney Howard Krepack — I’d also made a commitment to volunteer at the LACBC at River Ride. So I split the difference, working the booth while wearing the T-shirt honoring Howard, and letting someone else do the actual ride in my place.

Which is how I found myself riding to Griffith Park at 6:15 in the morning.

Thanks to the early hour, it was a surprisingly easy ride.

Santa Monica Blvd was closed off for the West Hollywood Pride parade, but no one was manning the barricades to stop a lone cyclist from riding through. So from Doheny to Fairfax, I had, in effect, my own private CicLAvia as the only moving vehicle on the street.

Even afterwards, traffic was so light I continued on Santa Monica until it merged with Sunset, before cutting up towards Griffith Park.

Somewhere along the way, though, I lost my breakfast.

No, literally.

Thanks to the early hour and lack of sleep, I had neglected to zip my seat pack. And the pastry I’d brought along to eat at the end of my ride managed to bounce out, thanks to one bump or another.

Thankfully, the more important items, such as my keys and wallet, managed to stay in place.

Then again, I’d also left both of my water bottles at home, so I had a very dry and thirsty one-and-a-half hour ride.

The only other minor problem was a missed turn near the end of my ride. As a result, I found myself making the last leg of my trip on the L.A. River bike path, just as the first Century riders were making their way to Long Beach.

Despite being a two-wheeled salmon riding upstream against the tide of riders, I found myself facing a very courteous crowd of cyclists, all of whom went out of their way to make room for me.

Then just as I left the bike path, I suffered my first flat tire in over a year — ever since last year’s Blessing of the Bicycles, in fact — forcing me to walk the last half mile in order to get there on time.

The good news — or at least that’s the way it seemed at the time — was that there were bike mechanics on hand to make last-minute repairs for River Ride riders before they set out. And within a few minutes, I had a new tube installed and was set for my ride back home.

The rest of the morning and early afternoon is a blur, albeit a very pleasant one.

If you’ve never volunteered for River Ride, I highly recommend it. There’s something very enjoyable about working with a well-oiled team of volunteers to help other riders have a great time. And getting to meet cyclists of every possible description more than compensates for the early morning wake-up call.

And once again, the LACBC team headed by the incomparable JJ Hoffman did the impossible and pulled off a massive event that seemed to go flawlessly.

Sometimes I get the feeling that if JJ stripped down, you’d find a big red S on her chest. Though where she’d find a phone booth to change in these days is beyond me.

I also had the pleasure of working with a number of great people, many of whom I met for the first time — including a hard-working team from Walk Bike Glendale.

It wasn’t until I took a lunch break at 2 pm that things went south.

In a big way.

Once I moved away from the noise and hubbub of the River Ride, I noticed that I’d missed a couple of calls from my wife. When I called her back, I learned that she’d tripped while walking on a sidewalk, and couldn’t move her right leg or wrist.

So I got back on my bike, riding through unfamiliar territory in an attempt to shorten the return trip home so I could get her to the emergency room.

And that’s one of the few situations where driving has the advantage over bike commuting. When something goes wrong, you can find yourself a long way — and a very stressful long time — from home.

Then there’s the other problem.

About half way home, I had another flat.

It seems the mechanic who did me the favor of fixing my earlier flat — at no charge, I might add — did me no favor by failing to find what caused it. Sure enough, as I examined the tire, I found a small piece of glass embedded in the tread that had worked its way back into my tube.

Since I had already gone to work at the LACBC booth while he fixed my flat, I have no idea whether he had looked for the cause of the flat, or just failed to find it.

Either way, I was forced to stop and make another repair at the worst possible time.

So my apologies to anyone in Hancock Park who may have heard the words I was muttering under my breath. At least, I hope they were under my breath.

The lesson learned is, as Ronald Reagan put it, trust but verify. If you have someone else fix your flat, make sure they check the tire.

Or better yet, just fix it yourself.

I finally got home nearly two-and-a-half hours after I’d spoken with my wife. And five minutes later, I was driving a very angry and highly pained spouse to the ER.

The good news is, she seems to be okay.

No broken bones or dislocations; three days later, her wrist is better, though she’s in a splint and on crutches until she can see the orthopedist — which, thanks to the complications that come with an HMO, may not be until mid-July.

If anyone trots out the old fallacy that this country has the best medical system in the world, please refer them to that last sentence.

We may have decent medical care, but the insurance system that supports it is badly broken.

Meanwhile, I now find myself driving her to and from work, walking the dog and doing all the work around the house.

Not that I’m complaining, of course.

That’s just part of being married.

But it does explain why my posts have been a little sparse this week.

Hopefully, I should have time to sit down and write again later tonight. There’s a huge stack of bike-related press releases and requests for publicity gaining virtual dust on my desktop.

So give me a little time, and I’ll get back to the topic of biking.

No, really.

I promise.

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

Are police in bike-friendly Santa Monica holding a dooring victim to a different standard?

June 11, 2012 / / 10 comments

Are cyclists being held to a different standard?

So it would seem in bike-friendly Santa Monica.

This past Friday, a cyclist was critically injured when he ran into a car door while riding south on 11th near Oak, just below Ocean Park Blvd.

The rider, identified only as a man in his 40s, reportedly flew over the door and landed directly on his head, suffering a life-threatening head injury.

It’s worth noting in this particular case that he wasn’t wearing a helmet, as the story points out; this is exactly the sort of slow speed collision bike helmets are design to protect against.

And then the officer goes on to immediately blame the victim, accusing the rider of being drunk at the time of the collision.  According to Santa Monica Patch, SMPD Sgt. Richard Lewis said,

“Alcohol played a big role,” Lewis said. “We do not know that he is going to survive.”

He goes on to add,

“There will not be any criminal charges,” he said. “It appears to be an accident.”

Witnesses said that the rider had been swerving in and out of traffic lanes before he hit the car door, which had been left open for several seconds.

By reading the news stories, it certainly sounds like the riding was completely at fault; a drunk rider collided with a car door that he should have seen and been able to avoid.

And maybe it happened just that way.

Then again, maybe it didn’t.

While the police spokesperson suggests the rider was drunk and there’s a reference to a blood test being done at the hospital, there’s no report of just how high his blood alcohol level was. He may have had a couple of drinks, or he may have been plastered.

Then again, it may not really matter.

One thing I’ve learned dealing with the LAPD on other cases is that under California law, whether or not a driver is drunk is a secondary factor unrelated to the cause of a collision.

For instance, let’s say two cars collide at an intersection, and one of the drivers is drunk. If the drunk driver ran the red light, he caused the collision by running the light — not by being drunk. His drunkenness might be why he ran the light, but it’s not the cause of the collision under the law.

On the other hand, if it was the other driver who ran the light, the fact that his victim was drunk is entirely unrelated to the cause of the collision.

Yet in this case, police are suggesting that drunkenness was the cause.

Even though state law prohibits opening a driver’s-side car door if it interferes with traffic. And then, only as long as necessary to get in and out of the vehicle.

22517.  No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe to do so and can be done without interfering with the movement of such traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open upon the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.

The Times story reports that the driver left the door open while she gathered her things, which would seem to be a clear — yet non-cited — violation of CVC 22517.

The driver should have gathered her things before opening the door, or she could have moved around to the other side of the car where the open door would not have interfered with traffic.

We’ve also learned from the CHP in the Carol Schreder case that witness reports of what a driver was doing in the moments leading up to a collision have little or no relevance to the actual collision.

In that case, numerous witnesses said they saw the driver operating his truck at a high speed and in a careless manner for several miles prior to hitting Schreder’s bike. Yet police didn’t even talk to those witnesses, as they said what occurred a few miles away had no bearing on what actually caused the collision or the charges the driver eventually faced.

I might argue that point. In fact, I have.

But if that’s the way the law is applied to drivers, that’s how it should be applied to cyclists.

So the fact that the victim had been drinking wasn’t the cause of the collision. Nor were the comments that he was weaving in and out of traffic prior to the collision.

The cause of the collision appears to be a car door that was left open in violation of the law, as well as a possible careless cyclist who may or may not have been able to see the door in time to stop safely.

There’s one other thing we should note.

On the Patch site, there’s an imbedded video showing the police investigation at the site of the collision. At the end of that, there is what seems to be a local resident blaming the narrow road and lack of a bike lane in the direction the victim was traveling.

It’s entirely possible that traffic on that narrow street caused the victim to ride in the door zone and could have prevented him from swerving out of the way when — and if — he saw the door blocking his path. It’s also possible that he may have tried to brake to avoid the door.

Bikes seldom leave the skid marks police use to determine if a vehicle tried to stop, which can lead them to erroneously conclude that a rider didn’t brake prior to a collision.

Which is just one more reason why every police traffic investigator should be trained in the unique physics and forensics of bicycle collisions.

This wreck could have occurred exactly as the police suggest. It’s entirely possible that the victim could responsible for his own injuries through his own drunken carelessness.

Or he could be the victim of a careless driver and bad road design.

We’ll probably never know.

But it certainly looks like the police may be going out of their way to blame the victim and let a dooring driver off the hook.

Thanks to Evan G for the heads-up. And say a few prayers for the victim; reading between the lines, his outlook doesn’t sound good.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Law Enforcement / Tags: , , , ,

Cyclist killed in early morning North Hills hit-and-run; BOLO for dark blue SUV with front end damage

June 8, 2012 / / 11 comments

This is not the news any of us wanted to wake up to.

Numerous sources are reporting that a cyclist was killed early Friday in a North Hills hit-and-run, when a rider was hit from behind  on Nordhoff Street near Gaviota Avenue.

According to a release from the LAPD, the rider was riding eastbound near the curb when his bike was hit, throwing him onto the street and into a raised planter box in the Auto Zone parking lot; a witness report says he bounced off the SUV’s windshield.

According to both KABC-7 and KCBV-2, the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was doing everything right when he was hit.

“This bicyclist did all the right things. Unfortunately, this accident occurred. I mean, he had a helmet on, the reflective vest, the bike headlights. He was an avid bicyclist. He had all the right things on,” said Capt. Ivan Minsal with the Los Angeles Police Department.

The avid bicyclist remark appears to stem from the fact that the victim was wearing bike shorts and appeared to be riding for exercise or recreation, despite the late hour.

Descriptions of the victim vary. The L.A. Times describes him only as a 53-year old male, while KABC-7 says he was a Hispanic man in his 50s or 60s; the LAPD release describes him as a whit male in his late 60s or early 70s.

Police are looking for a dark colored, possibly dark blue, Chevy Blazer or similar mid-size SUV with front end damage, most likely with a broken windshield.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department, Valley Traffic Detectives, Detective II James Deaton #24252 at 818 644-8035 or Detective III William Bustos #25029 at 818 644-8021 during normal business hours.

Police also note that you don’t have to reveal your identity.

After-hours calls may be directed to a 24-hours, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text “Crimes” with a cell phone or log onto WWW.lapdonline.org and click on Web Tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with “LAPD.” Tipsters may remain anonymous.

At least in this area, Nordhoff is essentially a six lane, high-speed throughway that encourages motorists to drive far above the speed limit, particularly in the late night hours when light traffic essentially allows drivers to go as fast as they want.

The new L.A. bike plan calls for bike lanes on Nordhoff, though I don’t find it on the five-year implementation plan. Hopefully, it will include a road diet to slow traffic speeds; otherwise, a simple line of paint wouldn’t do a damn thing to stop a driver who couldn’t seem to see a cyclist lit up like a Christmas tree.

And keep an eye out for an SUV that matches the description. Anyone who could do something like this and then heartlessly run away like the coward he or she is belongs behind bars.

This is the 23rd cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 7th in Los Angeles County; it’s the first bicycling death in the City of Los Angeles in 2012. This is also the fourth bike-related fatal hit-and-run in the seven county SoCal region this year.

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

Thanks to LAPD Deputy Chief Jorge Villegas for the heads-up.

Update: The LAPD has identified the victim as 76-year old Northridge resident Paul Albert Helfen; a $50,000 reward is being offered for the arrest and conviction of his killer.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , ,

81-year old cyclist killed by semi-truck in Fillmore

June 7, 2012 / / One comment

An older bike rider has died after a collision, this time in Fillmore.

According to the Ventura County Star, 81-year old Gudalupe Cruz was hit by a tractor-trailer as he road through an intersection in Fillmore around 8:30 am on Wednesday. He was taken to Ventura County Medical Center, where he died later.

A dispatch from the Ventura County Sheriff Department states that the driver of the truck had stopped for a red light at the intersection of Ventura and C Streets, headed west on Ventura. When the light turned green, the driver, Victor Lieja, pulled forward just as Cruz entered the intersection on the wrong side of the street, apparently running the red light.

However, as always in such cases, the report should be taken with a grain of salt.

Unless there were independent witnesses to the collision, the only person able to tell police what happened is the driver involved. Cruz may or may not have seen things differently if he’d been able to share his version of events.

It’s hard to imagine that an 81-year old man would run a red light directly in front of a semi-truck — especially when riding on the wrong side of the street would have placed him mere feet from the truck’s massive grill.

However, it is possible. Riding in the wrong direction, Cruz may not have seen the traffic signal, particularly if the truck had been pulled forward in the intersection, blocking his view of the light.

This is the 22nd cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first in Ventura County.

My prayers and condolences for Cruz and his family and loved ones.

Update: Making this case just that much more tragic, at the time he was killed, Cruz was on his way to meet his wife at a mass for their son, who was killed five years ago.

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

It only takes a few seconds to spare a life. So why are so many drivers unwilling to wait?

June 7, 2012 / / 19 comments

A couple of seconds.

Two, maybe three tops.

That’s all it took, as a large truck stopped at the intersection across from me, waiting to make his left, and completely obscuring the vision of the driver behind him.

She could have waited for the few seconds it would have taken for the truck to move out of her way, giving her a clear view of the traffic in front of her. Instead, she blindly stomped on the gas and cut sharply to her right into the parking lane, in an attempt to blow through the intersection before the light changed.

Which just happened to be the intersection I was occupying at that exact moment, as I used the opportunity to make my own left.

Which made me a sitting duck.

At the speed she was going, there was nothing I could do to get out of her way; even so, I instinctively jammed on my brakes, knowing it would do little good and bracing for impact.

I remember an idle thought floating through my mind as I wondered just how far her car was going to throw me through the air. Or if the car behind me would be able to stop in time to avoid making me a bike sandwich.

Fortunately, she saw me directly ahead of her and hit her brakes hard, coming to a panic stop about four feet in front of me.

Thanks God for anti-lock brakes.

Without them, she likely would have left skid marks extending far beyond where I was stopped.

So only seconds after it all began, we found ourselves facing one another, her face completely impassive. Maybe that was because she blamed me for what almost happened. Maybe she didn’t care.

Or maybe she was still trying to process the prospect of nearly killing another human being because she was too damned impatient to wait until she could see where she was going.

You see it every day.

Drivers who blare on the horn if someone ahead of them has the audacity to slow down to make a turn or pull into a parking space. Who swerve to the right or left to zoom around cars stopped for a pedestrian — or a cyclist — in a crosswalk, with no idea why they’re stopped. And too often with tragic results.

Or the second or third driver in a left turn lane, who blindly follow the cars ahead even though their vision is obscured and they have no idea what’s in the road directly ahead of them.

And don’t get me started on the ones who seem unable to follow behind a cyclist for even a few seconds.

Like the woman who passed me on the wrong side of the road earlier in my ride, even though she was going up a hill that completely hid the car approaching from the other side. And ignored my shouted warnings until she had to cut back sharply to avoid a head-on collision. Or the driver who oddly insisted on zooming past and cutting in front of me even though we were only feet from a red light.

Even though there is absolutely nothing in the vehicle code that says you have the right to drive unimpeded by any other people or vehicles on the road.

It’s not just an L.A. problem, either.

I’ve always thought that distracted, drunk or overly aggressive motorists were the most dangerous drivers on the road.

But more and more, I’m starting to believe that it’s the ones who are simply impatient and unwilling to wait the few seconds it takes to drive safely who pose the greatest risk to everyone else on the road.

Today, an impatient driver nearly killed me.

Tomorrow, she may succeed with someone else.

………

A couple other quick notes.

David Proffer forwards news of a Los Olivos woman facing charges for plowing into a group of cyclists last March, leaving one with broken bones and putting another rider in a coma that’s lasted nearly two months.

Alicia Gilbert is charged with driving under the influence of a drug, causing bodily injury, failing to provide accurate information at the scene of a collision, providing a false identity and driving with a suspended license.

Oh, and child endangerment for driving with her 8-month old child while she was high. Not that they wanted to throw the book at her or anything.

She’s being held on $200,000 bail, which seems obscenely low given the circumstances.

Meanwhile, a fund has been set up for Gary Holmes, the cyclist suffering from a traumatic brain injury caused by his frontal lobe shifting back and forth within his skull, as well as two broken arms, both knees shattered and a collapsed lung.

And the milk of human kindness seems to have run dry with one subhuman jerk, who left the following comment:

Give this woman a medal! It irks the hell out of me when I come around a blind turn to discover 20 bicyclists riding in the middle of the road.

………

Donald Blunt sends news of a Sacramento cyclist injured by a hit-and-run driver who fled the scene despite being flagged down by a witness. Fortunately, the victim’s injuries aren’t life threatening — though that doesn’t preclude any number of life-altering injuries.

………

Finally, Erik Griswold passes along a letter from a Valley Assemblymember suggesting that changing state law to allow more triple bike racks on buses just isn’t politically viable at this time.

No, seriously.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, Roadway Courtesy / Tags: , , , , , ,

Support LACBC with Clif Bar 2 Mile Challenge; is NYPD ignoring probable cause in stopping cyclists?

June 5, 2012 / / 10 comments

Here’s your chance to make a sizable donation to support cycling in Los Angeles. Without spending a single cent.

That’s because this month, the Clif Bar 2 Mile Challenge supports the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. Sign up now, and for every trip you log, Clif Bar will donate one dollar to the LACBC, up to $10,000.

Which means, as long as you’re willing to give them your personal contact information, you can make a donation just by riding your bike.

Or better yet, taking part in this Sunday’s L.A. River Ride.

………

New York police have begun what looks like a series of summer cycling checkpoints.

Now, I’m not a lawyer. Especially not the Constitutional kind.

But stopping riders at random to look for legal violations certainly raises the question of how they can make a traffic stop without probable cause, when courts have repeatedly ruled that the Constitution prohibits them from doing the same to motorists.

Police need a legally justifiable reason to stop and search a car — whether they’re looking people driving under the influence, hidden contraband or safety violations. They can’t just stop random vehicles to cast a net for possible violations.

That’s why police are required to announce the time and location of DUI checkpoints, and why you have every right to turn around to avoid a checkpoint. And why you also have the right to refuse a search of your vehicle.

So can someone please tell me why those rules don’t apply to stopping cyclists?

Or does the Constitution not apply for us?

And yes, you do have a right to ask an officer why he or she stopped you. And just like motorists, you have the right to refuse a request to search your back pack or seat bag.

………

A one-year old child is killed in a ride-by shooting by a suspected gang member. Downtown cyclists can expect new bike lanes and multiple bike racks in the new Grand Park. Help map South L.A. for CicLAvia with RideSouthLa on June 17th. Crossing the 405 can put your life at risk. Bike lanes continue to sprout in South L.A. Buffered bike lanes come to Montana Ave in Santa Monica, while the city scales back plans for the planned Esplanade on West Colorado Ave. Ryan Gosling rides a Schwinn in Studio City, or more precisely, loads one into a van; then again, he’s not the only classic Schwinn lover. The proposed bike route upgrades for PCH north of Malibu could morph into separated bike lanes. A Long Beach cyclist is blogging from this year’s AIDS Lifecycle ride; note to CHP, it’s not a race.

The first attempt at sharrows is always a learning experience. The Santa Ana River Trail gains national recognition. The OC Weekly looks at Charlie Gandy and the biking renaissance in Long Beach. Cathedral City cyclists will soon get bike lanes over I-10. A Ventura County driver can’t understand why any cyclists would want to risk their lives by riding in the roadway rather than on the white line, or why they got upset when he honked for them to move over; would anyone care explain it to him? Barry Bonds rides a $16,500 Pinarello. A Modesto woman is killed when a driver doing 10 mph runs over the children’s bike trailer she was riding in; how a collision like that could happen at that speed defies explanation.

Now they say endurance cycling can kill you. Members of my fraternity will ride across country to raise funds for people with disabilities. Oregon cyclists have been taken in by a bicycling con man. Seattle wants to attract more willing but wary cyclists, as opposed to unwilling and scared shitless, I suppose. Utah cyclists ride for road respect. The author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People has finally returned home over a month after a solo cycling collision. A Denver cyclist slams into a rollerblading woman and rides away without stopping. An Iranian student is killed in a Denver hit-and-run while walking his bike in a crosswalk. A Chicago area writer says don’t trust drivers like him. Indiana bike collisions are on the rise. Sheboygan cyclists and drivers seem confused by city’s bike lanes, while Massachusetts drivers claim to be hopelessly confused by bike-friendly back-in parking. A North Carolina cyclist is blamed for his own fatal collision after riding with a BAC of .38. Charleston police arrest a pantless bike rider. Even though 80% of Panama City FL residents don’t have a car, virtually no attention is paid to the city’s cyclists. A cyclist shares the lessons learned on a journey from Seattle to Patagonia.

Canadian cyclist Ryder Hesjedal’s victory in the Giro results in an uptick in cycling interest north of the border. Bike lanes aren’t cool, they’re necessary. A Canadian mother poses topless to promote bike helmets, while Copenhagenize’s Mikael Colville-Anderson says promoting helmets is keeping riding rates down. A remarkably auto-centric look at bike riding scofflaws on the streets of Ottawa. A Brit cyclist rides around the world in record time; on the other hand, there’s no need to race. A UK writer says angry, stupid, stinking bike thieves just aren’t human. A six-year old British boy rides 113 miles to raise funds for a local hospice. A Sussex cyclist leaves a pedestrian with a black eye in a dispute over who had the right to a pathway; seriously, pedestrians on bike paths can be annoying, but it’s not worth getting violent — or mad, even. Hugh Jackman rides the streets of London on a Brompton. Norway’s recent mass murderer blames his violence on a hatred of Muslim’s stemming in part from a broken bicycle. Bicycles are the new status symbols on the streets of Jakarta.

Finally, an anti-bike New York City Council Member is widely derided — and deservedly so — after calling for a mandatory helmet law, while the Deputy Mayor clearly gets it, saying mandatory helmets won’t save lives but protecting cyclists from drivers will.

Now if he could just explain the constitution to the local police.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, General, Law Enforcement / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Update: Cyclist killed in Indian Wells DUI was bi-coastal neurologist and Lyme Disease specialist

June 3, 2012 / / 27 comments

A 52-year old cyclist was killed by an alleged drunk driver in Indian Wells Saturday night.

According to numerous reports, Palm Desert resident Gerald Weiss was riding westbound on Fred Waring Drive south of Cook Street around 9:45 pm when he was hit from behind by a car driven by 24-year old Christopher Eugene Stocman of La Quinta.

Stocman, who stayed at the scene, was arrested on suspicion of DUI and vehicular manslaughter.

This is the 21st cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth already this year in Riverside County.

No further information is available at this time. Anyone with information is urged to call the Indian Wells Police Department Traffic Bureau at 760/836-1600.

This is the 21st cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth in Riverside County.

My deepest sympathy to Weiss and his family.

Update: According to a comment from Tracy Will, Gerald Weiss was a leading neurologist specializing in the treatment of Lyme Disease.

Dr. Gerald Weiss was a world renowned neurologist and Lyme Disease specialist. People traveled all over the country to seek his expertise. Not only does he leave behind many grieving patients, he leaves behind two young sons and a wife. This is an unimaginable tragedy. I am shattered at this news and in total shock.

A Google search reveals a neurologist named Gerald Brett Weiss M.D. with a practice in La Quinta — less than five miles from the site where Weiss was killed — as well as a practice in Norwalk CT. Dr. Weiss as on the staff of JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio, with a former specialty in Lyme Disease.

Unfortunately, there has been no follow-up from the local press providing any additional information on Dr. Weiss or how the collision occurred. Maybe they’ll get around to it now that the weekend is over.

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

12-year old boy dies hours after falling off his bike

June 1, 2012 / / 8 comments

Just heartbreaking.

A 12-year old Valencia boy died after falling from his bike earlier in the day.

According to the L.A. Daily News, Gabriel Tambong was riding with his sister on Wednesday afternoon when he fell off his bike, suffering minor scrapes.

However, he was found unresponsive around 9 pm, after continuing home and engaging with other members of the family. Despite being rushed to a local hospital, he was declared dead shortly after 10 pm.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, which may or may not be a result of his fall.

Based on the limited description, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to suspect a brain hemorrhage, which can allow the victim to appear normal until losing consciousness or developing other symptoms. However, that is strictly a guess on my part, as the story does not note if he hit his head or was wearing a helmet; Gabriel’s death could have been caused by any number of things unrelated to bicycling or his fall.

If this turns out to the the result of a bicycle accident, it would be the 20th cycling fatality in Southern California so far this year, and the sixth in Los Angeles County. It’s just the second death in the month of May, compared to five last year; by this time in 2011, there had been 30 traffic-related cycling deaths in the seven county SoCal region.

My heart and prayers go out to Gabriel Tambong and all his family and loved ones.

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