Newsom kills bill legalizing sidewalk riding, Calbike responds to firing of Caltrans mobility expert, and bikes mean business

October 10, 2023 / / 7 comments

Governor Gavin Newsom continued his longstanding tradition of brandishing his veto pen to kill bike-friendly bills passed by the state legislature yesterday.

Including a bill that would have legalized sidewalk riding throughout the state, wherever there’s a lack of bike infrastructure.

According to California Streetsblog, 

His veto message says “most sidewalks are not designed for bicyclists to safely use them, and riding on sidewalks would significantly increase the risk of collisions with pedestrians.” But it doesn’t address the risk to someone on a bike who must ride in fast, heavy traffic except to tout the state’s recent investments in bicycle infrastructure – which are nowhere near enough to meet the need for them. And Newsom ignores the original impetus of the bill, which was to address racial discrimination in terms of who is likely to be stopped for riding on a sidewalk in the first place.

In other words, you’ll continue to run the risk of getting a ticket if you take to the sidewalk to avoid a dangerous intersection, usually with no posted warning whether or where it may be legal or banned.

Meanwhile, people of color will continue to run the risk of police harassment, when cops use it as a pretext to stop people riding on the sidewalk.

Then there’s this.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

On the plus side, Newsom signed Burbank Senator Anthony Portantino’s bill to require hire a “Chief Advisor on Bicycling and Active Transportation,” aka a bike czar. Although it doesn’t require them to actually listen to whoever gets the job.

And local jurisdictions will now be allowed to mount cameras on city or county owned vehicles to photograph and ticket drivers blocking bike lanes, although there’s no word on whether any actually local government currently plans to do that.

At the same time, your own photos and bike cam video will continue to be legally useless when it comes to enforcing traffic laws and bike lane violations.

Governor Newsom also signed a bill to bring greater transparency to Caltrans freeway data.

Photo by Taryn Elliott from Pexels.

………

Calbike offers their response to the firing of Caltrans mobility expert and former Calbike staffer Jeanie Ward-Waller, while calling on the agency to serve all Californians, not just people in cars.

Yeah, good luck with that.

………

Dr. Grace Peng reminds us that bikes mean business, in the South Bay, and everywhere.

Meanwhile, business owners in Asheville NC took aim at their own feet by opposing plans for a lane reduction and buffered bike lanes on a pair of local streets, apparently unaware that bikes mean business, and bike lanes usually result in increased sales.

………

The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

An English bike rider complained about bicycling infrastructure that looks like it was designed by someone who’s never used one, after encountering a gate on a shared-use path that prevented bikes from entering.

………

Local 

Downtown LA News looks forward to CicLAvia’s return to the Heart of Los Angeles this Sunday.

Bike Rumor celebrates Los Angeles-based Hollywood Racks, who have been making car-mounted bike carriers for 50 years.

 

State

No news is good news, right?

 

National

Velo’s Urbanist Update reports on what we discussed recently — the conflicting studies with one showing bike commuting is down, while the other says bike riding is up.

Lifehacker offers tips on how to winterize your ebike. Some of which could actually apply here in California.

Yanko Design offers their top “clever accessories to give your bike a level up makeover,” from zip-on tire tread to an inflatable bike helmet.

No irony here. A Las Vegas Subaru dealer is now sponsoring the city’s annual Ride to Remember to mark the tenth anniversary of a man killed by a driver riding his bike.

An Albuquerque TV station suggests bypassing traffic jams by riding your bike and taking advantage of the bike valet at the city’s annual hot air ballon festival.

A Missoula, Montana writer pens a love letter to her local bike co-op.

Now you, too, can own your very own Chicago-area bike shops, as the owner prepares to shut them down after 26 years so she can retire and go on her own bike tours through Mexico and Italy.

A Minnesota writer complains about Amazon drivers parking in bike lanes, even as he admits it feels like tilting at windmills.

The wife of a fallen New York bicyclist says the city’s mayor doesn’t care if it’s safe to ride a bike in New York.

 

International

Bike Radar offers advice on how to recover mentally from a bicycling crash. My best advice, based on personal experience, is to ride the same route you had planned, which will take you directly past and through the crash site.

Life is cheap in England, where a driver walked without a single day behind bars despite leaving a bike rider with “serious and life-changing injuries,” then getting out of his car to swear at the victim; his victim remains unable to work more than six hours a week, and can’t ride a bike anymore.

A Philippine bike count showed a drop from last year’s record total, with continued demands for better bike infrastructure to serve the country’s bike riders, noting that the nearly 150,000 bicyclists helped reduce carbon emissions by 36.74 metric tons.

 

Competitive Cycling

Tragic news from North Carolina, where gifted young cyclist Zoe Clay died after crashing in a mountain bike race on Sunday; a crowdfunding campaign has already raised over $32,000 for her family.

 

Finally…

If you’re planning a couple nights of crime, maybe don’t ride a distinctive orange bike. If you’re going to steal a bicycle, leave the meth at home.

And that feeling when your daring cliff jump just results in an epic fall.

………

Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin

Category: Morning Links / Tags: ,

Update: 17-year old ebike rider killed by Bud Light truck driver in Santa Clarita Monday; 5th SoCal bicycling death in 6 days

October 9, 2023 / / One comment

At least this time it wasn’t a hit-and-run.

The Santa Clarita Valley Signal is reporting that someone was killed while riding a bicycle in Valencia this morning.

The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was apparently riding on southbound McBean Parkway at Skycrest Circle Drive when they were struck by the driver of a Bud Light semi-truck around 9 am Monday.

He died at the scene.

Unfortunately, no other details are available at this time. Hopefully, we’ll learn more soon.

This is at least the 40th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.

The victim was also the fifth person killed while riding a bicycle in SoCal since Wednesday.

Update: KTLA-5 has identified the victim as a 17-year Santa Clarita resident Louie Alexander Barba.

The station reports he was riding an ebike, though it’s unclear if that had anything to do with the crash. 

The station places the crash at Decoro Drive and McBean Parkway in Santa Clarita, rather than two blocks away at McBean Parkway and Skycrest Circle Drive. 

Update 2: I receive the following email from Nina Moskol, of BikeLA chapter Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle Coalition, which adds some context to the story.

As of now, there are no particulars that we have received to share regarding the crash, other than the crash location. It could be noted however, that the area where the crash occurred is posted for 45 mph traffic with 3 lanes apiece traveling north and southbound. Named as a parkway, motor and truck traffic are often traveling on it at highway speeds. The parkway is flanked on either side with sidewalk, and oversized sidewalks, referred to here as paseos, which are intended for pedestrians and cyclists to use. Sidewalk riding is legal in this part of the city.

Unfortunately, it looks like the crash occurred in an uncontrolled intersection. This parkway is really hard for pedestrians and cyclists to cross, unless at a signalized crosswalk or via the nearby bike/ped bridge.

The nearest signalized intersections would have been a few tenths of a mile away from Skycrest, where the crash happened, and the only bike/ped bridge is further north of where the crash occurred too, serving a park and elementary school. If he was traveling to school at COC, this bridge would have been in the opposite direction of his intended destination. Regardless of the travel choices to make, the teen cyclist never had a chance against a semi-tractor trailer.

A crowdfunding page to benefit his family has raised over $35,000, far exceeding the $21,000 goal.

According to the page, Barba was riding his bike to school at the Academy of the Canyons, where he was in his final year of high school. 

They describe him this way — 

Louie was not just any teenager; he was a beacon of joy, hope, and dreams. A brilliant student, he was adored by his peers, teachers, and every life he touched. Those hallways of the Academy will surely miss his infectious laughter, his unwavering dedication to learning, and his unforgettable presence.

But school was just one facet of Louie’s vibrant life. The great outdoors was his playground. Whether it was skiing down snowy slopes, cycling through mountainous terrains, fishing under the serene sky, or camping under the stars, Louie was happiest when he was amidst nature. And what made these experiences even more precious was the company of his beloved family. Louie leaves behind his mother, Oksana; sister, Ivanna; father, Louie; and stepfather, Chris.

SCVBC is planning on placing a Ghost Bike near the crash site on Monday at or around 7pm.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Louie Alexander Barba and all his family and loved ones.

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

Update: Suspect still at large after man riding bike killed in Rialto hit-and-run; 15th SoCal bike rider killed by hit-and-run drivers this year

October 9, 2023 / / Comments Off on Update: Suspect still at large after man riding bike killed in Rialto hit-and-run; 15th SoCal bike rider killed by hit-and-run drivers this year

The recent carnage on SoCal streets has continued unabated, marking five people killed riding bicycles in just the last six days.

And far too many of those deaths have come at the hands of hit-and-run drivers.

Including a man killed by a heartless coward who fled the scene in Rialto Saturday night.

According to the San Bernardino Sun, the victim was riding south in the second lane of Riverside Ave, approaching Santa Ana Ave, around 7 pm when he was run down from behind by a driver in a Hyundai sedan.

The victim, described only as a man in his 60s, died at the scene.

Police found the car abandoned nearby in Bloomington, and issued an arrest warrant for 46-year-old San Bernardino resident Santos Lopez-Rosales on suspicion of hit-and-run.

As of tonight, he was still on the run.

A street view shows a highway with two lanes in each direction, with a 50 mph speed limit and a complete lack of bicycling infrastructure.

Anyone who may have information about the crash, or the whereabouts of Santos Lopez-Rosales, is urged to call Rialto Police Traffic Sergeant Dan Smith at 909/644-6025.

This is at least the 39th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eighth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

It’s also at least the 15th fatal hit-and-run involving someone on a bicycle since the first of the year, and the third since Wednesday.

Update: The victim’s family has identified him as 65-year old Leopoldo Mondragon, an Orange County resident who lived and worked in Rialto during the week to provide for his family. 

The father of six was on his way home from work on his bicycle when he was run down from behind, and left to die alone in the street. 

Lopez-Rosales still remained at large as of Tuesday night.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Leopoldo Mondragon and his family and loved ones.

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

Killer Make-A-Wish driver convicted, and Orange driver pleads guilty to intentionally running over bike-riding boyfriend

October 9, 2023 / / Comments Off on Killer Make-A-Wish driver convicted, and Orange driver pleads guilty to intentionally running over bike-riding boyfriend

That didn’t take long.

Mandy Benn, the Michigan driver accused of killed two men participating in a three-day Make-A-Wish fundraising ride while stoned on prescription meds, was found guilty on all 15 counts by the jury, including second-degree murder, after just three hours of deliberation.

Which works out to about 12 minutes a charge.

Benn was attempting to pass a UPS truck when she went onto the wrong side of the road and slammed head-on into a group of riders, injuring three others in addition to the two men who died at the scene.

A detective investigating the crash said she appeared disoriented, and “like she was on a different planet.”

Benn had two painkillers and an anti-anxiety drug in her system at the time of the crash, as well as bottles of prescription meds in her car. The defense tried to blame her disorientation on a concussion suffered in the collision — an excuse the jury clearly rejected.

She could now spend the rest of her life behind bars once she’s sentenced on the murder charges.

Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels: 

………

Maybe she should change her relationship status to “It’s complicated.”

A 29-year old Orange woman will be sentenced later this month after pleading guilty to intentionally running over her then-boyfriend as he rode his bicycle away from her home in December, 2020.

Diana Rodriguez pled guilty to felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon and corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, with sentencing enhancements for causing great bodily injury in a domestic violence incident.

Prosecutors dropped a felony count of mayhem, as well as three misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, as part of her plea deal.

The victim was scorched a hot vehicle part after being pinned under her car, but survived when a neighbor used a jack to lift the car off him.

………

The family of Joshua Cervantes Drayer called for justice and closure more than a year after the 40-year old Dana Point man was killed in a hit-and-run while riding his ebike.

………

The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

The head of Brompton’s bikeshare program criticized UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s new “proudly pro-car” policies, describing Sunak’s attempt to halt the mythical “war on motorists’ as “wedge politics” and an “artificial construct” which will “hopefully blow over given time.”

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

A sidewalk-raging English delivery rider went over his handlebars attempting to get at a delivery driver who had called him a dick, among other less-than-friendly terms, for complaining about on the sidewalk, after pointing out that he wasn’t supposed to ride there, either. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail, apparently believing two wrongs do, in fact make a right, clearly sided with the foul-mouthed driver.

………

Local 

A letter writer in the Los Angeles Times pleads with government officials not to take away the cherished right-turn-on-red that so many SoCal drivers seem to assume is their God-given right, arguing that if drivers and pedestrians both obey the law, it’s perfectly safe. Which is about like saying guns are perfectly safe if owners use them properly, and people don’t step in front of the bullets.

The Beverly Hills Courier considers the city’s plan to add bike lanes to a third-mile section of Beverly Blvd.

 

State

San Diego’s commitment to building an actual bike lane network is paying off, after our neighbor to the south was recognized as America’s “greenest” city.

I want to be like him when I grow up. Holocaust survivor and age-group world cycling champ Leon Malmed celebrated his 86th birthday with a South Lake Tahoe bike ride.

 

National

A 53-year old woman was charged with careless driving for killing a ten-year old boy riding a bicycle in a small town near my Colorado hometown; police concluded she was driving distracted, after initially blaming the victim.

Hundreds of Houston bicyclists turned out for a memorial ride through streets lined with green ribbons to honor a 14-year old boy who was killed by a driver while riding his bike to school last week.

Bloomington, Indiana hamstrung an award-winning bikeway by installing new stop signs, slowing bike riders as well as the intended drivers.

A Cambridge, Massachusetts letter writer calls attention to a recent USDOT report that says bike lanes protected with car-ticker plastic pendy-posts reduced crashes by 50 percent when compared to bike lanes without them.

Police in New York are looking for a man who beat a 66-year old woman with a collapsable baton, knocking her off her bicycle, after the two nearly collided in Central Park.

Echoing a statement we’ve all heard too many times, North Carolina bicyclists say a 61-year old man was doing everything right when he was run down from behind and killed by a driver while attempting to make a left turn.

 

International

Insider Monkey — no, that’s not a typo — lists the world’s 20 most bike-friendly countries, and somehow includes the United States, where bikes and all other forms of transportation take a back seat to cars, at number 13, ahead of Japan, England, Spain and Italy; the Netherlands and Denmark naturally lead the rankings, with Australia — which is even more bike-unfriendly than the US — coming in third.

A Toronto college student got his stolen ebike back after launching his own investigation, and finding it for sale at a “really sketchy bike shop with no name.”

Life is cheap in Jersey, where a 51-year old driver walked without a day behind bars, as if a lousy six-month driving ban and community service is sufficient punishment for seriously injuring a bike rider in a “momentary lapse of concentration.

A stoned truck driver in Edinburgh, Scotland will have to find a new line of work after he was sentenced to two years behind bars and banned from driving for eight more, for killing an intensive care nurse who was biking to work during the pandemic.

An 85-year old Scottish woman rode her bicycle to cope with her grief over the deaths of her adult children, riding 1,000 miles around the country while raising the equivalent of nearly $88,000 for charity in the process. I have no idea how many hundreds of miles I rode to cope with my father’s death.

The leader of the Cyprus Green Party calls for an end to the country’s mandatory bike helmet law.

A writer for Taiwan News wants you to put the island on your bike bucket list.

Speaking of Australia, The Guardian says more Australian families are ditching cars for ebikes, in part because they pay for themselves. To which Californians who have waited more than two years for the state’s long-delayed ebike rebate program, respond “We wouldn’t know.”

 

Competitive Cycling

Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar became just the third cyclist to win three consecutive editions of Italy’s Il Lombardia, after Alfredo Binda won three in 1925-1927, and the great Fausto Coppi won four in a row from 1946 to 1949.

Fellow Slovenian Matej Mohorič won his first senior world title at Sunday’s Gravel World Championships, apparently while riding an as-yet unreleased Merida gravel bike.

Australian cyclist Nathan Haas was forced to ride a bike quickly pulled from Colnago’s in-house museum at Sunday’s gravel world championships after his bike was lost by the airline.

New Zealand’s 34-year old “Flying Mullet” Shane Archbold calls it a career after a decade in the pro peloton.

Mountain bikers from 19 states and three countries set off from downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas Saturday for the 1,000-mile Arkansas High Country race.

 

Finally…

Your next bike could come wrapped in 24 karat gold and cost more than a Rolls-Royce. Nothing like riding your bike to Hell and back. No, literally.

And that’s a very good question.

………

Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Man riding bicycle with his dog killed in Laguna Beach crash Saturday evening

October 8, 2023 / / Comments Off on Man riding bicycle with his dog killed in Laguna Beach crash Saturday evening

Like the Wicked Witch of the West, a driver in Laguna Beach crashed into a man riding a bicycle, and his little dog, too.

Only one of them survived.

According to multiple sources, a man was riding a bicycle, with his small dog in a front basket, when he was struck by a driver at the intersection of Oak Street and Glenneyre Street just before 7 pm Saturday.

He was taken to a local hospital with critical injuries, where he was pronounced dead.

The victim’s dog, described as a small terrier, was taken to a veterinary hospital with minor injuries, and is expected to recover. Although who will care for it now is unclear.

The driver stopped at the scene, and was not suspected of being under in the influence.

There’s no word at this time on how the crash occurred, or the identity of the victim.

According to a statement from the Laguna Beach Police Department, “We send our deepest prayers and condolences to the deceased male’s family and hope they find strength through this unfortunate event,” said Laguna Beach Police Captain Mike Peters.

Amen.

This is at least the 38th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in Orange County.

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

Thanks to Bill Sellin and Jeffrey Rusk for the heads-up.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

58-year old man killed in early morning Mecca hit-and-run; at least 14th bike rider killed in SoCal hit-and-run this year

October 7, 2023 / / 2 comments

Another day, another person riding a bicycle killed in a SoCal hit-and-run.

According to Palm Springs’ KESQ-3, a man was found lying in the street after being struck by a driver while riding on 66th Ave, just east of SR-86 in Mecca, sometime around 1:30 am Saturday.

The victim, described only as a 58-year old homeless man, died at the scene.

There’s no description of the driver or suspect vehicle at this time.

This is at least the 37th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

Gurrola was also at least the 14th person killed in a hit-and-run while riding a bicycle in Southern California since the first of the year.

My deepest prayers and sympathy for Jacinto Ayala Gurrola and his loved ones. 

 

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

Both sides rest in fatal Michigan Make-A-Wish drugged driving trial, and Calbike calls out anti-bike bias in SoCal ebike regs

October 6, 2023 / / One comment

Once again, the Nobel Peace Prize committee failed to recognize my work for bike blogging, giving the award to an imprisoned Iranian human rights activist, instead. 

Maybe next year, right?

Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels.

………

Both sides have rested in the trial of Mandy Benn, the alleged drugged driver charged with killing two men, and injuring three other people participating in a three day, 300-mile Michigan Make-A-Wish fundraising ride earlier this year.

Benn hit the victims head-on while attempting an ill-fated pass of a UPS truck, then said the crash scene “almost looks real,” while showing signs of intoxication.

The defense blamed her bizarre behavior on a concussion, rather than the two painkillers and an anti-anxiety drug in her system at the time of the crash.

………

Calbike is responding the the recent spate of anti-ebike laws by calling out the inherent anti-bike bias.

The statewide bike advocacy org is urging SoCal cities to reverse discriminatory bicycle regulations, even as more communities are calling for stricter regulation of electric bicycles, threatening the rapidly expanding ebike boom.

Nice to see the group take a stand and get in the fight.

Thanks to Malcomb Watson for the second link.

………

A photographic throwback to the good ol’ days of pre-hipster New York bike messengers.

https://twitter.com/OriginCycling/status/1709984041905037385

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

Authorities in Tacoma, Washington identified the 51-year old man police believe was intentionally run down by an SUV driver as he was riding his bike late last month; police have still not found the hit-and-run driver or the suspect vehicle.

………

Local 

BikeLA introduces writer and director Shem Bitterman, co-organizer of the Writer’s Guild’s successful Bike the Strike movement.

Streets For All founder Michael Schneider applauds Beverly Hills plan to install bike lanes on a stretch of Beverly Blvd, calling it “a small, yet critical win in the right direction.”

KTLA-5’s LA Unscripted reports on bicycle explorations of the city led by Handlebar Bike Tours.

Streetsblog’s SGV Connect podcast looks forward to the coming ArroyoFest on the 110 Freeway, aka the Arroyo Seco Parkway, at the end of this month.

Palmdale is hosting a Halloween-themed bicycle parade on the 28th to promote bicycle safety and gather public opinion on city’s cycling infrastructure.

 

State

Parents in Palo Alto call on the city and school system to better protect students biking and riding scooters to and from school.

San Francisco is finally moving forward with protected bike lanes on Arguello Blvd between Golden Gate Park and the Presidio after securing $1.2 million in state funding; the long-delayed project follows the April death of cycling champ Ethan Boyes on the street, although just what kind of protection will be offered remains to be determined.

Momentum looks at San Francisco’s proposal to ban right turns on red lights, saying it could really keep bicyclists safe.

The parents of a fallen four-year old girl say Oakland leaders have been very responsive to their demands to improve bike safety, after she was doored while riding in a child’s seat on her father’s bike.

A Sacramento man is starting a bike ride to raise funds and awareness to fight breast cancer, following the death of his wife from the disease 22 years ago.

 

National

Bicycling recommends places around the US to do a little gravel grinding, asking of it’s just them, or if this gravel biking thing is really catching on. As usual, read it on Yahoo if the magazine blocks you. 

A Seattle public radio station introduces listeners to the guerrilla gardener of the city’s 520 bike path, who spends his spare time keeping the pathway safe and clear because the local government isn’t doing it.

A Salt Lake City op-ed says the area’s the state-of-the-art wide, green bike lanes look nice but put bike riders on dangerous streets, with the writer calling for physically separated pathways instead. Hint: If it isn’t completely protected, it ain’t state-of-the-art.  

Wisconsin Republicans are responding to a photo suggesting a child may have participated in Madison’s edition of the World Naked Bike Ride by introducing a pair of bills banning public nudity, as well as another banning children from any event featuring nudity.

He gets it. A longtime London and New York bike commuter says between problems like cars parked in bike lanes and a lack of secure bike parking, it’s no wonder people don’t want to bike to work.

New York has a box truck problem, after a 56-year old man riding a bicycle was killed by a truck driver in Brooklyn yesterday, and a man riding a moped was killed in a collision with a truck driver on the Upper East Side less than seven hours earlier.

New York’s 26 bicycling deaths this year is the most since the city adopted Vision Zero nearly ten years ago.

A Lancaster, Pennsylvania man faces multiple felony counts for the hit-and-run crash that killed a man riding his bicycle to his family’s farm to tend to their animals last month; the victim’s brother discovered his body and what was left of his bike in a cornfield when he went searching for him. Thanks to Mike Bike for the heads-up, who quite appropriately calls the driver a scumbag.

 

International

Momentum asks if North America can follow Europe’s example, after the EU issued an official declaration in support of bicycling.

Life is cheap in Edinburgh, where a stoned driver was sentenced to just two years behind bars for killing an intensive care nurse as he rode his bike to work during the pandemic.

A new French company is introducing a low-tech foldie with full-sized wheels, designed to fit under your desk.

An Indian city is responding to the death of a bike-riding dentist at the hands of a speeding autorickshaw driver with a proposal to build a dedicated cycle track.

Two men were killed, and four others suffered minor injuries, when a speeding hit-and-run driver slammed into a group of Thai bicyclists, strewing bike parts all over the roadway.

 

Competitive Cycling

Tadej Pogačar goes on a revenge ride to reclaim his KOM after noticing his 2021 Lombardia ride had been flagged.

Velo credits Strava and Twitter with saving Dutch cyclist Steven de Jongh’s life after he was knocked unconscious on a training ride, helping to find him before it was too late.

 

Finally…

Streets get road diets, bike lanes go on sign diets. That feeling when you gently shoo a driver out of a protected bike lane, complete with a bike rack on the back of their car.

And anyone who wins the women’s Tour de France earns the right to train with anyone they want on their back.

 

………

Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin

Category: Morning Links / Tags: ,

Update: 50-year old man riding bicycle killed by hit-and-run driver in South LA; media silence is deafening

October 6, 2023 / / 2 comments

Evidently, leaving someone to die alone in the streets of Los Angeles just isn’t news anymore.

At least, that was the case Wednesday night, when a 50-year old man riding a bicycle was killed by a hit-and-run driver in South LA’s Hyde Park neighborhood.

Only two sites — Los Angeles Patch and Two Urban Girls — even bothered to post the story online, copied word-for-word from City News Service.

Meanwhile, the silence from the mainstream media was deafening.

According to the story from CNS, the victim was riding east on Vernon Ave at 6th Ave when he was read-ended by the driver, who continued on without stopping.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

At this time, there is no description of the suspect or the vehicle used to kill the victim, and no other information available.

A street view shows one lane in each direction on Vernon, with a parking lane on each side and a left turn bay, along with a complete lack of bicycle infrastructure.

This is at least the 36th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, the eighth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County, and the fifth in the City of Los Angeles.

That’s just more than half the SoCal total for this time last year, and compares to 21 bicycling deaths in the county at the start of last October.

Either we’re having an exceptionally good year, or there are a lot more crashes that we’re just not hearing about.

I’d put my money on the latter.

This is also at least the 13th fatal hit-and-run involving someone on a bicycle since the first of the year.

Update: The victim has been identified as 51-year old Jacinto Ayala Gurrola. There’s still no word on where he lived, or any description of the suspect vehicle or driver.

My deepest prayers and sympathy for Jacinto Ayala Gurrola and his loved ones. 

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

Sidewalk parking and bike helmets, the fame and infamy of ebikes, and violent robberies target bike riders

October 5, 2023 / / One comment

This is what I ran into while walking home with my dog yesterday. 

This driver couldn’t be bothered to park at one of the open meters around the corner, and somehow felt entitled to park on the sidewalk just to run into 7-11.

Just for a minute, I’m sure. 

But sure, tell me again about all those entitled cyclists.

………

This comes up from time to time on here.

So here’s my take on bike helmets in a nutshell, in response to a question from Eban about whether I wear one, after I questioned someone’s misuse of helmet safety stats in yesterday’s post.

I never ride without one, and recognize that it may have saved my life in a solo crash. But I also know that they are designed to protect against relatively slow speed falls like mine, not high impact collisions, and don’t protect any other body parts. Too many studies cite fatalities in relation to helmet use, without indicating whether the victims actually died of head injuries. I also know that stats on helmets tend to vary widely, are often misrepresented, and tend to cited in a way that represents the perspective of the author. My take is that you are far better off avoiding a crash in the first place than relying on your bike helmet to save you, and it should always be seen as the last line of defense when all else fails, not the first.

………

Today’s common theme is ebikes, in all their fame, glory and infamy.

Forbes calls this the year of the ebike — if you can manage to get past their paywall.

America’s only remaining Tour de France winner has introduced a lightweight, carbon fiber, drop handlebar ebike designed to be used on any type of road, while coming in at a relatively svelte 28 pounds.

I don’t even know what to make of this. Punk rocker and rapper Machine Gun Kelly got out of his chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce to confront DJ and social media personality Kerwin Frost on the side of a Sherman Oaks street, standing in front of the influencer’s ebike to prevent him from leaving the heated confrontation.

They get it. The Orange County Register says local cities are overreacting to ebikes, arguing that sensible regulation is fine, but enough with the hysteria. Amen, brother.

A 25-year old San Diego man was seriously injured when he crashed his ebike into the back of a parked pickup truck in the city’s Sorrento Valley; police blamed the victim for “riding at an unsafe speed for conditions.” Then again, it’s hard not to blame the victim when someone rides into a legally parked car.

A Santa Barbara wrench calls for parents to check and maintain their kid’s ebikes, saying the heavier, faster bikes could pose a danger otherwise.

The Urbanist offers tips to potential ebike buyers, as Seattle ebike sales are soaring and the state prepares to offer a rebate. Which will probably come long before California’s long-delayed ebike rebate program finally gets here.

Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest is asking for public input on a proposal to allow Class 1 ebikes on a measly 27.5 miles of existing trail in the Teton Pass; Class 2 and 3 ebikes would be prohibited.

Long Beach — no, the one in New Jersey — struggles to implement rules for ebike riding, because local residents complain about too many signs. No, really. 

Porsche is driving a stake through the Croatian ebike brand Greyp, in which they own a majority stake, while shifting the bikemaker’s technology to its own in-house brand.

A pair of French bikepackers were lucky to escape injury when their ebike battery exploded as it was being charged in an Aussie hostel; the blast was caught on security cam as they fled into the hallway.

………

Today’s other common theme is armed robbery.

Never mind the shooting I just hear outside my Hollywood window at 2:30 in the morning.

A Norfolk, Virginia man captured an armed robbery attempt on his rear-facing bike cam, as four men ran up from behind as he rode on a narrow bridge bikeway, pulled guns on him and sprayed him with pepper spray while demanding his bike, then ran away just as quickly; police arrested two adults and two juveniles the next day.

A pair of masked men were caught on security cam attempting to steal a man’s bike in a small English village, after using their SUV as a weapon to run the victim off the road; the bikejacking attempt ultimately failed when the homeowner came running out armed with a shovel.

………

The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

Canadian Cycling Magazine shares what they say may be the scariest close-pass ever, as a speeding bus driver appears to come within a foot of a bike rider, and observes that buzzing bicyclists is one of the worst things a driver can do.

London’s Metropolitan Police tweeted out a victim-blaming call for bike riders and pedestrians to “be seen,” using an edited and discredited photo.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

A Scottish bike rider was caught on video yelling and swearing at an elderly woman who had the audacity to ask him to dismount on a narrow pedestrian walkway, including using the C word. Seriously, don’t do that. Show a little respect for others, and for women, and for the aged. And for yourself, for that matter. 

………

Local 

Rather than following through on it’s climate and Complete Street commitments, Caltrans is doubling down on highway construction, announcing a nearly $300 million project along the 605 Freeway from Long Beach to San Gabriel, to “improve overall ride quality along the route while bolstering safety for drivers and for state highway workers.” Meanwhile, Car-Light Long Beach discusses the minuscule multi-modal component of the first segment.

Long Beach approved a $2.5 million contract extension to keep their existing 100-hub bikeshare program going for another year.

Jennifer Garner is one of us, going for an LA bike ride with her 14-year old daughter.

 

State

A man who spent three months in a coma following a DUI crash pedaled a hydro-bike nine hours from Catalina to Newport Beach to call attention to brain injuries.

A retired economics professor calls for removing San Diego’s popular Coaster train, rather than moving the tracks off a crumbling Del Mar cliff, and converting it to a bike and pedestrian trail.

 

National

Bicycling lists their Gear of the Year, with a nifty 50 products you can buy right now. As usual, read it on Yahoo if the magazine blocks you.

A Streetsblog podcast considers what livable street means in the coming era of driverless cars.

A Minnesota man is attempting to raise a half million dollars to fight prostate cancer and schizophrenia by riding 11,000 miles around the US, all while battling stage 4 prostate cancer himself; so far he’s raised a little more that $100,000.

You’ve got to be kidding. Life is cheap in Michigan, where a convicted drunk driver walked with just two days behind bars — and credit for time served — for the hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a 36-year old man riding a bicycle; he was sentenced to three years probation and a lousy $1,200 restitution.

A church in West Lafayette, Indiana has made it part of their mission to loan bicycles to international students at Purdue University, and will tune and repair recipients’ bikes for free; they currently have a waiting list of over 100 people. Thanks to Melissa for the heads-up.

Louisville KY will throw in the towel on its municipal bikeshare system after six years.

Three months later, police in Niagara Falls finally charged the alleged hit-and-run driver who left an 84-year man to die alone in a ditch after rear-ending the victim’s bike.

Massachusetts passed a $1 billion tax cut retroactive to the first of this year, including expanded deductions for transit and bicycle use.

Life is cheap in Florida, where police refused to charge a van driver who killed a 14-year old boy riding his bike to school, after the driver played the universal Get Out Of Jail Free card by saying he just didn’t see the kid. Well, okay then. It’s not fair to expect motorists to see a human being directly in front of their vehicle, right?

 

International

Bike Radar offers advice on how to make your bike more comfortable, while Road.cc recommends the best and brightest rear bike lights for day and night use.

Life is cheap in British Columbia, where a red light-running driver was fined a whole $167 for the crash that left a bike rider seriously injured — and could have that reduced to $147 if it’s paid within 30 days. And that’s in Canadian dollars, which works out to the equivalent of about $107 in US dollars.

After posting helmet cam video of a typical bike ride through the city, a London bicyclist asks readers if they’d be comfortable riding there.

A British group projected a video promoting a 20 mph speed limit on the Houses of Parliament, after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to end the mythical war on motorists.

The UK’s rolling rave returns to Sheffield, with a DJ pumping out drum and bass from his bicycle-mounted sound system.

The European Commission has released a document promoting bicycling as a safe and sustainable mode of transport, while seeking to unleash the full potential of bicycles as a “sustainable, accessible, inclusive, economical and healthy” mode of transportation.

A growing number of French companies are giving employees the chance to ditch driving by providing a company bicycle.

 

Competitive Cycling

Mark Cavendish announced he’ll be returning next year in an attempt to set a new record for Tour de France stage wins; he’s currently tied with the legendary Eddy Merckx at 34.

A British man just three days shy of his 86th birthday became the oldest person ever to compete in the historic Monsal Hill Climb, and plans to do it again when he’s 100.

Another British man set a new record for riding coast-to-coast across the UK from Pembroke, Wales to Norfolk, England, covering the 350-mile course in 14 hours flat, and beating the previous record by one hour and 20 minutes. One day, I hope to take our Pembroke Welsh Corgi to her ancestral home, so she can run with herds of wild corgis on the Welsh Serengeti. And yes, I only included this item so I could get that joke in. 

Competing in a Mexican double deca triathlon that includes a 47-mile swim, 2237-mile bike ride, and 524-mile run is hard enough, without encountering a bike-riding ghost passing in the opposite direction.

 

Finally…

Sometimes, you just want a streetwear-inspired bike that screams F you to the world. We may have to deal with wild LA drivers, but at least we don’t have to worry about getting tackled by a rogue deer while riding with your parrot.

And that feeling when you don’t realize you just won the race, so you just keep going.

https://twitter.com/JumboVismaRoad/status/1709279848655433939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1709279848655433939%7Ctwgr%5Ea64eee9325c03bf13257ab3e5dd48b489846d856%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Froad.cc%2Fcontent%2Fnews%2Fcycling-live-blog-4-october-2023-304273

………

Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Whistleblower demoted in Caltrans scandal, CD12 CM John Lee faces ethics charges, and LA Bike Fest this Saturday

October 4, 2023 / / 3 comments

Maybe things haven’t changed at Caltrans after all.

As we mentioned a few weeks back, Jeanie Ward-Waller, deputy director of planning and modal programs at state highway agency, was unceremoniously transferred from her position last month.

In other words, demoted.

The reason, according to a new report from Politico, is that she stood up against a plan to circumvent environmental rules on Sacramento-area road construction projects, announcing her intention to file a whistleblower complaint.

Caltrans’ chief deputy director, Michael Keever, notified Ward-Waller on Sept. 14 that she would be terminated from her role Oct. 4 and placed on administrative leave until then. In a letter seen by POLITICO, he offered her the option of returning to her previous role at the agency or one administrative level above that.

The former policy director for the California Bicycle Coalition, aka Calbike, had worked at the agency since 2017. She was promoted to her most recent position three years ago by former Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin, who is now serving as state Secretary of Transportation.

Apparently, even that was not enough to protect her when she spoke out against the agency circumventing its own rules, as well as state climate regulations.

Ward-Waller said in an interview — her first since her termination — that she had objected to two construction projects on Highway 80 because, she said, Caltrans’ state and federal permits improperly understated their environmental impacts…

Ward-Waller alleged that Caltrans improperly described the first project as “pavement rehabilitation” when it will actually widen the road to accommodate new lanes. Because of that, she said, it’s illegally using state funds that are intended only for road maintenance, not widening.

She also said the projects should have been considered as one and that by “piecemealing” them into two, Caltrans was able to streamline permitting for the first project, avoiding a full evaluation of alternatives under the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

Ironically, the news broke just one day before California Clean Air Day.

Maybe it’s time for Caltrans to clear the air about their own failure to live up to their clean air goals. And stop punishing high-ranking employees for standing up to them over it.

………

About damn time.

Anyone who has been paying attention knows there has been a cloud hanging over CD12 Councilmember John Lee ever since his role in the Mitch Englander bribery scandal came to light.

Now the Los Angeles Ethic Committee is accusing him of failing to disclose gifts he received in excess of the allowed limits in 2016 and 2017, when he was the top aide to the disgraced and now convicted former councilmember.

He also stands accused of misusing his city position, and aiding and abetting his old boss in misusing his council seat.

The only question is what took so long. Okay, that’s the second question.

The first is why he never faced criminal charges for his role in the bribery scandal; smart money says he turned on Englander, and earned a free pass by working with the FBI to provide key evidence in the case.

According to the LA Times,

The accusations arise from Lee’s time as chief of staff to Englander, who pleaded guilty in 2020 to lying to federal investigators when he was caught in a pay-to-play corruption investigation. Lee, referred to as City Staffer B in the federal indictment, was on the now-infamous trip to Las Vegas when Englander received an envelope with $10,000 in a casino bathroom. The trip, we learned from the Ethics Commission’s accusation, was to celebrate Lee’s pending move from City Hall to the private sector.

On that trip, according to the accusation, a developer and a businessperson put Lee up in a hotel suite, gave him $1,000 in casino chips (which, Lee told investigators, he lost playing baccarat), wined and dined him, and spent $34,000 on bottle service at a nightclub. The value of the trip far exceeded the $470 gift limit for city officials.

Lee did not include the trip or gifts on his disclosure forms when he left city service that month. After the FBI contacted Englander around Sept. 1, 2017, as part of its investigation, Englander sent two $422 checks to the businessperson, one from himself, the other from Lee, for “Vegas expenses.” The checks were backdated to Aug. 4 to make it appear that Englander and Lee had reimbursed the businessperson before the FBI inquiry, according to the accusation.

Unfortunately, the most the Ethics Committee can do is issue a fine, which will amount to a relative slap on the wrist, no matter the amount.

And it’s unlikely Lee will have the integrity to step down, regardless of whether that’s the right thing to do after skating on criminal charges.

I can’t speak for you, but after five councilmembers convicted, charged or implicated in corruption scandals over the last few years, I’m beginning to lose faith in our city leaders.

Okay, that’s a lie.

I lost faith in them a long damn time ago.

Maybe we just need to show up with a cargo bike full of unmarked bills to finally get some action on safer streets around here.

………

BikeLA, the advocacy group formerly known as the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, is hosting their annual Bike Fest this Saturday at the Highland Park Brewery in DTLA’s Chinatown neighborhood.

Here’s how they describe the event.

LA Bike Fest is BikeLA’s 2nd Annual Fundraiser and Celebration of bike-minded people from daily commuters to weekend warriors and everyone in between. A Pedal-Powered Party where attendees are encouraged to ride to and from LA Bike Fest via the healthiest, happiest, most sustainable, and equitable transportation available – THE BICYCLE. Taking place on Saturday, October 7 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Highland Park Brewery, a hop, skip and roll from the Chinatown Metro station, the event is open to all ages, but you must be 21+ to be served beer. The $25pp ticket (purchased in advance; $35 at the door if capacity allows) includes free bike valet (along with minor bike repairs), one beer or non-alcoholic drink, a commemorative BikeLA bandana, music, 360°photo booth, an online silent auction, and a fully supported group bike ride to the venue.

Join fellow BikeLA supporters, local chapter members, elected officials, with the shared desire to transform Los Angeles into a better place to live and bicycle. In addition, BikeLA’s 2023 Spoke Award Honorees will be honored during LA Bike Fest: Laura Friedman, Assemblymember, 44th District, a leading advocate for making California a more bikeable region for everyone; Sunset4All, a community-led vision to create 3.2 miles of pedestrian improvements, protected bike lanes, safer access to schools, transit upgrades, and more; and Tafarai Bayne, Chief Strategist, CicLAvia, a Los Angeles native who has worked on urban development and planning issues for 23 years, emphasizing the dynamics impacting working-class communities. Bike LA’s honorees are passionate, dedicated, and collaborative in making Los Angeles a more bikeable region for everyone.

Highland Park Brewery will have a bar in a designated area where additional beer can be purchased as well as offering a special menu (including a vegan option) available for purchase. This year’s silent auction will be online this year. For those who can’t make it to the event but want to show support, can still bid on a wide variety of awesome auction items. The auction is set to tentatively launch on September 29th. Visit https://www.la-bike.org or sign up for email announcements HERE.

Ticket proceeds and additional donations help raise crucial funds to support BikeLA’ advocacy and programming to make Los Angeles more bikeable for everyone.

Unfortunately, the 2 pm cutoff means I won’t be able to attend due to another commitment.

But hopefully you can make it, and quaff a nice Festbier or two for me.

………

Here’s your chance to tell Redondo Beach you’d rather see protected bike lanes on Manhattan Beach Blvd, instead of the thin painted lines the plan currently calls for.

I mean, you would, wouldn’t you?

………

The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

Statistics are a dangerous thing in the wrong hands. No, even if 75% of people killed while riding bicycles weren’t wearing a helmet, that doesn’t mean 75% of bicycling fatalities were due to not wearing one. And even that stat is highly debatable.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

A 24-year old Los Angeles man was busted for riding a bicycle while under the influence. And yes, that’s a thing in California.

Police in New York are still looking for a hit-and-run bicyclist who slammed into a 59-year old woman last month, while riding salmon in a bike lane on a bikeshare ebike; the victim remains in a coma two weeks later.

Several women have complained of being frightened and harassed by male bicyclists in London’s Richmond Park, who mistakenly assume they aren’t permitted to drive on streets that are otherwise closed to motorists. Seriously, don’t do that. No matter how right you may think you are.

………

Local 

The aforementioned LA Times asks if Los Angeles could follow San Francisco’s lead in banning right turns on red lights, which could go a long way towards preventing crashes with bike riders and pedestrians.

The former Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills continues its surprising bike-friendly turnaround, announcing plans to install bike lanes on Beverly Blvd between Santa Monica Blvd and Doheny Drive.

Pasadena public school students will be walking to class today to mark National Walk and Roll to School Day, as well as the state’s Clean Air Day. Which probably isn’t what they’ll be breathing as they walk to school along the Rose City’s busy streets.

A Los Angeles man has been booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and felony assault for knocking a woman off her ebike and strangling her on Santa Monica’s Main Street after yelling incoherently, for no apparent reason.

 

State

A Leucadia woman is calling for a law mandating helmets for ebike riders, after her 69-year old husband suffered a fractured skull when he hit a curb and went over his handlebars just two blocks from their home; he remains in a coma weeks after the crash. Although to be fair, the same thing could happen hitting a curb on a regular bike. 

Solano Beach is just the latest SoCal city to adopt an ordinance cracking down on scofflaw ebike riders, though it sounds like all they’re doing is recommitting to enforcing existing regulations, while creating a diversion program for ticketed bicyclists.

This is who we share the road with. A San Francisco woman is in critical condition after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver while crossing the street and tossed into the path of a driverless cab, which came to a complete stop on top of her leg, pinning her underneath.

Sacramento is planning to slow traffic by installing a number of speed bumps throughout the city, in an effort to improve safety on the city’s deadly streets.

 

National

A 73-year old Wisconsin man faces charges for driving under the influence after hitting a nine-year old boy riding a bike with his two brothers; the boy faces a long road to recovery after waking up in the hospital, and asking if he was dreaming. A crowdfunding campaign to help pay his medical expenses has raised nearly half of the modest $9,000 goal. Drinking may be a disease, but getting behind the wheel afterwards is a choice — a very bad one.

Chicago hit-and-run victims call for better protection for bike riders on the city’s streets.

Tragic news from Florida, where a high school senior was killed by a 78-year old school bus driver just as he was arriving at school on his bike, and was left crossed by the driver as she pulled into the school parking lot; a crowdfunding campaign for the victim’s family has raised over $19,000 of the $20,000 goal. Once again raising the question of how old is too old to drive — especially a vehicle that large and full of children. 

 

International

This is how Vision Zero is supposed to work. After a bike rider was killed in a right hook by the driver of a cement truck, officials announced the intersection in downtown Hamilton, Ontario will undergo a review to improve safety. You can probably count on one hand the number of times that’s happened after any crash in Los Angeles. And have enough fingers left over to let them know what you think about it.

A Manchester, England city councilor is feeling the heat after a bike rider was injured by a stoned driver on the same section of roadway where two other bicyclists were killed last year, after he was responsible for having a protected bike lane ripped out in 2021.

An English man credits the doctors who were riding behind him with saving his life when he suffered a heart attack during a charity ride.

Leading British cyclists fire back over the Conservative government’s plan to restore automotive hegemony to the country’s poor, put-upon motorists, arguing that everyone should feel safe enough to choose walking or biking, and that every person on a bike frees up space for people who actually need to drive.

Good idea. Instead of just installing ghost bikes at the site of fatal crashes, advocates in the UK left a half dozen on the steps of the county hall to represent the six people killed on county roads so far this year — and to make sure officials and the press actually saw them.

A $29 million road improvement project in the UK may have to be redone over fears that bicyclists riding on the segregated bike lane could crash into pedestrians using the narrow sidewalk, which is less than three feet wide in places.

Belgian bicyclists may soon be able to take the motorcycle license exam on their ebikes.

Students at Kenya’s Moi University are ditching East Africa’s traditional low-powered motorcycles known as boda-bodas for bicycles, describing them as more convenient on campus and better for the environment.

 

Competitive Cycling

Bicycling highlights the “astonishing, heroic story” of Ayesha McGowan, as she successfully achieving her “wildly ambitious” goal to become the first Black American woman in the pro peloton. As usual, you can read it on Yahoo if the magazine blocks you. 

Velo highlights seven rising stars to watch in next year’s women’s WorldTour rookie class.

Thirty-nine-year old Frenchman François Pervis failed in his attempt to become the fastest person on two wheels last month, when he fell 3.1 mph short of the 89.39 mph record for the fastest human-powered vehicle; his previous attempt last year nearly left him paralyzed after crashing at 80 mph.

It looks like the nascent National Cycling League will survive for a second season after signing a number of cyclists to contracts, including L39ion of Los Angeles rider Tyler Williams, who will ride for the Miami Nights. Apparently, pro sports have officially run out of good team names. 

 

Finally…

Who needs a tent when you can tow a trailer behind your bike? Probably not the best idea to engage in a shootout with cops trying to stop you for blowing through a stop sign.

And it’s not too late to get this for my birthday.

No, really.

………

Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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