Update: Cyclist killed on Los Flores Canyon during Rapha Gentlemen’s Ride

November 5, 2011 / / 18 comments

More bad news.

Earlier today, I received word that a cyclist had been seriously injured during the Rapha Gentlemen’s Ride in celebration of Bike Effect‘s 1st anniversary, and had been airlifted out.

Unfortunately, when I returned home later today, I found word waiting from several sources that the rider did not survive his injuries.

According to an email on the Velo Club La Grange user the group, the rider — who I won’t name at this time, in case the next of kin haven’t been notified — was descending Los Flores Canyon Road near Hume Road above Malibu around 11:45 am when he lost control, and struck a wire guard barrier intended to keep cars from sliding off the road.

The writer says eye witnesses described it as a catastrophic accident, and notes that there was a doctor on hand; however, the cyclist did not regain consciousness before EMTs arrived.

So far, the only news reports misidentify the victim as a motorcyclist, based on a false report initial report from the CHP (see below).

This is the 60th traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 20th in Los Angeles County; this is also the 7th fatal solo collision since the first of the year.

Thanks to Chris K, Mark Elliot, Stanley E. Goldich and Todd Munson for information on the collision; my prayers for the victim, his family and loved ones.

Update: The L.A. Times says the victim, who has still not been publicly identified, was a 51-year old man from Laguna Beach, who was riding with his brother at the time. He was declared dead at UCLA Medical Center about an hour after he fell. However, the Times gets the time of the incident wrong, which occurred at 11:45 am, not just before midnight as they report.

Update 2: The victim has been identified as Robert Hyndman; read a moving letter from his brother in to comments below, or on my follow-up. There will also be a memorial ride for Hyndman sponsored by Bike Effects on the 13th.

Screen grab courtesy of Mark Elliot

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

New Bike Center wayfinding signs in SaMo, tears at Adam Garrett hearing, and your weekend events

November 5, 2011 / / One comment

No mistaking where to turn with the new signs

I knew it was coming.

But I was surprised to see signs pointing to the new Santa Monica Bike Center on my last pass down Ocean Ave in our own little city by the bay.

I was less than 10 miles into my ride, though, so I saved a closer inspection for my return trip.

And while the northbound stretch of Ocean didn’t yet have the signs indicating the turn at Broadway that the marked the southbound route, once made my turn, I was easily able to follow the well-marked path to the Bike Center site at 2nd and Colorado.

You can just make out the Bike Center sign on the corner of the parking lot

Thanks to a recent typically insightful and well-deserved critique by Gary Kavanagh, I wasn’t surprised to see newly painted sharrows — and even new bike lanes — throughout the area. Though I found it much easier to ride past the typically backed-up Broadway traffic on the right than follow behind as the sharrows indicated.

Although I didn’t see — or at least didn’t notice — the dueling bike lane and sharrows that somehow ended up on 2nd Street right next to me.

Evidently that’s just a reflection of how hard SaMo is trying, though as Gary points out, not always succeeding, to become bike friendly.

The effort is appreciated, if not always the results.

A peak behind the curtain shows there's still a long way to go

I was disappointed, though not surprised, to discover the Bike Center — actually, Centers, with another satellite location slated to open at 4th and Broadway — are still far from opening.

In fact, a little research revealed an opening date scheduled for the 18th of this month. And yes, you’re invited.

Which means Santa Monica residents and visitors will soon be treated to:

Hopefully, these privately operated Bike Centers will prove successful, and offer a model for other cities throughout the area.

And yes, I’m talking to you, L.A.

……..

One of my favorite anonymous sources offers this update in the case of Adam Garrett, the schmuck teenage driver accused in the late night hit-and-run death of cyclist Hung Do. And then calling police the next day pretending to be a witness in an apparent attempt to find out what they knew — a call that resulted in Garrett becoming the lead suspect.

No one said he was a rocket scientist.

On Wednesday morning, Adam Carl Garrett was in court again.  I didn’t expect anything more than a quick, perfunctory appearance before the judge.

But the victim’s family & friends were there.  And they spoke before the judge.  It was horrible.

Hung Do’s mom is a widow, and she told the judge how it feels, every day, to have lost her only son. She doesn’t speak English, but a mama’s grief doesn’t need a court-appointed translator.  Other family members spoke, too, as well as a guy named Scott who identified himself as one of Hung’s best friends.  He wants justice.

Poor li’l Garrett was also teary-eyed.  He’s probably upset over the inequity of a system that allows a maximum six-year prison term for a criminal whose victim received a death sentence.

Garrett’s back in court on Monday, December 5th.  I’ll be bringing Kleenex, because on Wednesday there wasn’t enough to go around.

……..

Before we move on to this weeks events, a special thanks to Governor Jerry Brown.

Because it was our honored governor who not only vetoed a law that would have required drivers to give cyclists a minimum three-foot passing distance, but also vetoed a bill that would have increased the penalty for drivers who text or call on a hand-held cell phone, since the current law is almost universally ignored.

Because without his foresight, I might not have gotten Jerry Browned — that’s the new term for buzzing a cyclist, which as I recall originated with the aforementioned Gary Kavanagh — by a texting driver who forced me out of the lane I was occupying.

And nearly into the rear of a parked car.

It was easily the most memorable moment of my riding week, and not in a good way.

So thanks, Governor, for clearly demonstrating just how out of touch you really are. And putting my life, and that of every other cyclist, pedestrian and driver on our streets, at continued risk because you couldn’t be bothered to understand just how these vetoes effect us.

Although you’d think that simultaneously suffering the consequences of two misguided Jerry Brown vetoes should get me some sort of prize or something.

……..

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.

Velo Cult and the Golden Saddle Cyclery team up for a bike swap on Saturday, November 5th at 11 am, 1618 Lucille Ave.

Streetsblog hosts an upscale fundraiser at the home of Joel Epstein and Karen Sarachick on Saturday the 5th. The casual dinner reception begins at 6:30 pm with a suggested donation of $100, email damien at streetsblog dot org to RSVP and get directions.

Also on the 5th, Free the Streets unfolds its eco-visionary experiential art/music fest celebrating the burgeoning bicycle cultural scene of South Los Angeles. (And yes, I lifted that directly from the Facebook page.) It takes place from 2 pm to 10 pm at Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Ave. Admission is restricted to 21 and over, with a $10 entry free and on-site bike valet; all proceeds go to support the expansion of CicLAvia into South L.A.

This month’s edition of Flying Pigeon LA’s Brewery Ride takes place on Saturday the 5th, with a slow paced ride to the new Angel City Brewery in Downtown L.A. The ride meets at 3 pm, and rolls at 3:30 pm, with bikes available to rent for $20. That will be followed by the Spoke(n)Art Ride on the 12th, and the popular Get Sum Dim Sum Ride on November 20th. All rides depart from the Flying Pigeon LA bike shop at 3714 N. Figueroa ST in Highland Park.

Saturday, November 5th through Monday, November 7th, the California Bicycle Coalition will host the 2011 California Bike Summit to help set the statewide bicycle advocacy agenda for 2012 and beyond. The sessions with take place at Downtown’s Kyoto Grand Hotel, with the Monday session held at the California Endowment for Health; Flying Pigeon is offering a $30 weekend bike rental.

The next ride in the LACBC’s popular series of Sunday Funday rides takes place on Sunday, November 6th with the East Valley Hansen Dam Ride, lead by board member Carrie Ungerman. The ride meets at the North Hollywood Metro Station at Lankershim and Chandler at 9 am and rolls at 9:30. The easy 23 mile ride is free for LACBC members and one guest; memberships will be available at a reduced price.

November 7th and 10th, LADOT will hold a series of Westside Mobility meetings to discuss the future of Westside Commuting; topics include Project Overview, Bicycle and Pedestrian, Transit – Light Rail, Bus and BRT, Roadways, Smart Choices for Commuting, Parking, and Project Ideas via Electronic Surveying. See website for times, locations and registration.

The South Bay Bike Plan continues it’s long march to approval with hearings before the four remaining city councils: Lawndale on November 7th, Gardena on November 8th, Manhattan Beach on the 15th and Torrance on November 22nd.

The LACBC Planning Committee meets the second Tuesday of each month; the next meeting is scheduled for 7 pm on November 8th, note the new location at Johnny’s New York Pizzeria in Museum Square, 5757 Wilshire Blvd. This month’s meeting will focus on developing a list of policies for the LACBC.

Update: The LA Tamale Throwdown scheduled for November 11th through 13th has been cancelled for this year.

On Saturday, November 12th, C.I.C.L.E. hosts a ride through the streets canvas of our city, with a leisurely paced 7.5 mile tour of L.A. street murals in Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights and the Downtown Arts District, with a party to follow. Riders meet at Lincoln Park by the Valley Blvd parking lot, Valley Blvd and San Pablo Street, with the ride starting at 1:30 pm.

Also on Saturday the 12th, Palm Desert hosts the first Palm Desert Century Bike Ride, with rides of 20, 32, 50, 60, 70 and 100 miles; online registration ends November 11th.

Update: The LACBC’s Tour de Taste originally scheduled for Sunday, November 13th, has been postponed, with the date to be determined.

The County of Los Angeles unveils the final draft of their proposed new bike plan, offering a more than 500% increase in bikeways. Your last chance to comment of the plan could come before the County of Los Angeles Regional Planning Commission, Wednesday, November 16th at 9 am in the Hall of Records, Room 150, 320 West Temple Street in Downtown L.A.

December 7th through 11th, Antenna Magazine’s Re:mix Lab will hit L.A. after a semi-national tour, featuring two urban Bad Boy bikes designed by Cannondale in cooperation with Junk Food Clothing. The art, music, fashion and cultural festival will unfold at a site to be selected.

Friday, December 9th, the Midnight Ridazz host what may be the most important ride of the year, when they ensure that thousands of L.A. children will have a happy holiday with the 6th Annual All-City Toy Ride. Routes will begin from points throughout the city, converging on Downtown L.A. to collect the toys and celebrate the season.

Tuesday, December 27th, the LACBC returns to Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse for the 3rd Annual Mid-Winter Merriment, 2911 Main Street. Good beer, good friends, bike valet and a portion of all sales goes to support cycling in the great L.A. area. What’s not to like?

Category: Bike Events, Legal Cases, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , ,

Orange County cyclist on life support following Santiago Canyon collision

November 4, 2011 / / 14 comments

Sherri Norton; photo from Cycles Veloce website

I was hoping I wouldn’t have to write this.

According to the Orange County Register, a female cyclist is now on life support after being struck by a car on Santiago Canyon yesterday afternoon.

I received word of the collision on Thursday shortly after it happened; even then, it didn’t look good. The Register reported that the rider was eastbound in the bike lane on Santiago Canyon near Jamboree Road when she was struck by a Lexus sedan traveling in the same direction at 12:47 pm.

According to the paper, she suddenly made a 90 degree turn directly into the path of the oncoming car and was struck at a speed of around 50 mph, which is the speed limit in that area. She was apparently she turning around to go back to her riding partner who trailed behind. Photos from the scene show her Look frame snapped in two, and the windshield of the Lexus smashed.

She has not yet been publicly identified by authorities; however, the Cycles Veloce website identifies her as Sherri Norton, a member of the club and a frequent participant in local century rides. She was transported to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana in critical condition, while the driver and passenger remained at the scene.

As of this morning, she remained on life support.

While the news is not good, it is not a death sentence; other riders have defied the odds to come back from similar circumstances. However, whatever prayers and good wishes you feel comfortable offering would be appropriate.

As with so many other stories like this, the Register feels the need to note that she was wearing a helmet, even though no bike helmet made that could protect a rider from injuries in a collision at that speed.

Thanks to Lois, Frank Peters and Michael Byerts for links to the story.

Update: Sadly, Sherri Norton died from her injuries on Sunday. Her husband offers his thoughts, and is scheduling a memorial service, and a ride in her memory for this Saturday; donations are requested in lieu of flowers for a pair of charities she supported.

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

SaMo road rage hearing postponed, Mahdavi goes to Europe and Shannon Richards pleads no contest

November 3, 2011 / / 3 comments

According to cyclist/attorney Dj Wheels, Jeffrey Adams, the driver charged with two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon in the Santa Monica Dr. Thompson-lite case, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Wednesday.

However, both Wheels and a comment left by Andrew note that the hearing was continued to December 13th.

Wheels also notes that Celine Mahdavi, the driver given a slap on the wrist sentenced to 90 days in the hit-and-run maiming of cyclist Louis Deliz, was scheduled for a restitution hearing on October 12th, which was rescheduled for December 1st.

Despite being sentenced to three years probation, in addition to her extremely limited jail time, the judge allowed her to travel to Europe for nine days.

Which suggests that the only person really being punished for her crime is her victim.

……..

Ventura resident Shannon Richard pleaded no contest to leaving the scene of a fatal collision on Tuesday.

Richard was charged with fleeing the scene after she hit Jose Louis Carmona as he walked along the the roadway when she was distracted by a crying child, leaving him to die on the side of the road.

The Ventura County Star reports that she thought that she had hit a deer, coyote or some other animal — in other words, she had no idea what the hell she hit, and didn’t care enough to find out.

Richard was not charged with driving under the influence, despite an initial arrest on drunk driving charges. Her lawyer said she was under the legal limit, and had only drank wine after the collision.

Note to drivers: if you want to get away with it, go home and have a couple of drinks. Then if you’re caught, just claim you only drank after you got home.

Reading between the lines, the victim was blamed for causing his own death by walking along the roadway without lights on his bike. Oddly, pedestrians — which is what Carmona was while walking his bike — aren’t normally required to have lights and are allowed to walk on the shoulder of a roadway.

Unless he was actually within the traffic lane, the driver should have been at fault.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 9th; Richard faces anything from four years in jail to probation with jail time.

Guess which one she’ll probably get.

……..

A couple other quick notes.

Rex Reese points out that bicycling was once reputed to ride the gay away; undoubtedly, it’s a popular for of recreation at the clinic run by Michelle Bachmann’s husband.

Nebraska alum Todd Munson points us to a hit-and-run that took out a couple of Lincoln motorcyclists; the perpetrator is the star of the volleyball team — and daughter of the coach; needless to say, she remains on the team since fleeing the scene of a collision isn’t that big deal.

A Culver City cyclist tells the city council of that city that not only did a CCPD officer ignore a mild hit-and-run, the officer followed up by frisking and fondling him. This may be the first time anyone has used the phrase “does stuff with my anal cavity” in an open council session.

A Houston cop claims his supervisor ordered officers to stop riders for biking while black.

Bike unfriendly USC takes a first step in dealing with bikes by asking two-wheeled students to be more considerate; the university will also hire consultants to study additional solutions to “the bike problem.”

University of Wisconsin researchers say the secret to a long life could be as simple as riding to the store.

Local bike shops face a considerable challenge in competing with online retailers, however, a group of New Hampshire bike shops have banded together to create a coop website allowing riders to shop online and still buy local; could be a good model for L.A. shops.

This is why you need a helmet; not because of car collisions that exceed their safety requirements, but because bad things can happen when you bike. I rode with a helmet for over 20 years without ever needing it; the one time I did, I was glad I had it.

After a cross-country cyclist is killed on a New Mexico reservation, tribal police fail to conduct an investigation because they didn’t think it was serious. Note to drivers: if you want to kill a cyclist, try doing it on tribal lands.

Here’s a new one. A London bus driver ran over and killed a cyclist because he had a sudden painful spasm that kept him from stepping on the brake. Note to drivers: see your doctor now to complain about back pain to document your excuse in case you ever need it.

A former leader of the League of American Wheelmen — now League of American Bicyclists — receives a posthumous honor from the Dutch for inventing the center line.

Finally, don’t get too comfortable in your position on the road; you can be replaced.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , ,

Fallen Murrietta cyclist identified, and a whole lot of mostly very non-scary post-Halloween links

October 31, 2011 / / 5 comments

The cyclist who died on a bike trail near Murrietta Sunday morning has been identified a 60-year old Lee Andrew Tichenor of Temecula; the investigation is ongoing.

……..

I love this quote from Lovely Bicycle!:

“Coming back from Las Vegas a month ago, cycling in Boston seemed like paradise. Coming back from Vienna, it seems like a war zone.”

……..

Streetsblog hosts their next upscale fundraiser on Saturday, and applications are due to their Boyle Heights and South L.A. correspondents. Re-imagining Santa Monica’s Lincoln Blvd as a more livable street, instead of the living hell of a Class III bike route it is now. Cynergy Cycling invites you to get certified for track riding. Long Beach’s biking expats discuss how to stay married on the road. The next edition of Flying Pigeon’s popular Brewery Rides rolls on Saturday. A candidate for the CD 15 city council seat calls for a CicLAvia from Downtown to San Pedro; another promises to build out the Backbone Bikeway Network in the district.

Former San Diego Bicycle Coordinator Jim Lundquist bids a fond farewell. A Red Bluff rider survives a left cross that sent him bouncing 20 feet off a windshield. UC Davis students are the latest to get bike traffic school. A San Francisco cyclist suffers life-threatening injuries when a cab runs a red light. Three Palo Alto cyclists are injured, none seriously, when they’re hit by a car; reading between the lines, it sounds like either the cyclists or the driver was on the wrong side of the road, and we can probably guess which one.

People for Bikes questions why Congress is targeting bike funding; they’re not the only ones. Fat Cyclist offers a self-published best of. A bike means freedom on Chicago’s South Side; no different from L.A.’s Eastside or South L.A., or countless other places around this city of frequently fallen angels. A tongue-in-cheek response to a call from a Chicago alderman to license cyclists asks why not license feet, too. Safety concerns keep more Pittsburgh cyclists from becoming bike commuters. David Byrne and Janette Sadik-Khan discuss why New Yorkers insist on fighting over bike lanes. A Florida cyclist killed last April may have been the victim of an intentional buzzing.

Women riders need more awareness, not scaremongering. Clearly, cycle chic is nothing new. A UK cyclist was three times the legal limit when he was killed after blowing through a yield sign. British bike fatalities and serious injuries are on the rise. London’s Mayor Boris continues to put the convenience of motorists over the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. Britain’s approach to road safety is called deeply flawed; the widow of the first biking victim on the mayor’s biking superhighways fears he will just be another statistic. Welsh authorities offer a code of conduct for a popular shared trail. A Swedish study shows bike commuters sleep better, are less stressed, are healthier, suffer less exhaustion and use fewer sick days than drivers; question is, does cycling make you healthier or do healthier people choose to bike?  In one of the most disgusting legal arguments I’ve heard, an Aussie lawyer argues that his client had an obligation to watch the traffic ahead, rather than watch out for the cyclist he passed — and killed — in their equivalent of a right hook; if you ever wondered why people hate lawyers, this is a damn good place to start.

Finally, I’ve run over a lot of crap over the years — sometimes literally. But nothing quite as disgusting as greasy roadkill deer guts.

And best wishes to Zeke’s brother Dave who was scheduled to get back on his bike this week following a bad crash. 

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

Second cyclist found dead in less than one week; strong arm bike-jack attempt on L.A.’s 7th Street

October 31, 2011 / / 3 comments

For the second time in less than a week, a Southern California cyclist has been found dead, apparently of natural causes.

Just five days after an unidentified 70-year old rider was found alongside the road near Fillmore, a rider was found unconscious and unresponsive along the Stevenson Canyon trail on the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve.

According to Temecula Patch, the rider was discovered by other cyclists, who attempted to administer CPR until paramedics arrived and pronounced him dead. He was discovered around 8:10 am Sunday, near the intersection of Clinton Keith and Tenaja Roads west of Murrietta.

Patch reports that the rider, who has not yet been publicly identified pending notification of next of kin, was 60 years old and a resident of Temecula.

The death is still under investigation; no information yet on whether he may have fallen or died of natural causes.

We have no way of knowing how or why this man died.

But it’s a good reminder to check with your physician first if you’re new to riding or coming back after a long layoff.

You may feel healthy. But there may be things going on inside that you don’t know about.

……..

Sunday morning I received an email from an anonymous reader reporting a very frightening attack against a local cyclist with an unusually positive attitude.

Tony is the nicest guy, and he owns a little shawarma place on 7th Street, right in front of the new westbound bike lane.  He’s about as bikey as any small-business proprieter in L.A. can be (and that’s even if you include Josef Bray-Ali.)   That’s Tony on the sandwich board in his delivery bike’s basket:

He lives in mid-Wilshire and commutes by bike, too.  Very recently, he bought a shiny new Fuji to replace his old commuter.

On Friday when I popped in to refuel before Mass, his arm was in a sling, so I asked why.  He told me.

The night before, Thursday, he was on his way home from the restaurant, waiting at a stoplight on Wilshire.  A motorcycle came up behind him, and its passenger jumped off and kicked him over!  Tony hit the asphalt hard, and the creep tried to jack his bike.  Still on the ground and unaware of the extent of his injuries, Tony had the presence of mind to hook a leg through the frame.  After several yanks, the creep gave up and fled with his accomplice.

Witnesses called 911 and stayed with him until the police & medics arrived.

Tony has a fractured scapula and some bruising, but he still has his bike.  And he’s still confident enough to commute, even with a busted shoulder!   I asked if he isn’t worried now about riding so late (his restaurant closes at 11pm weekdays, and 2am Fri/Sat), but he said naw, there are more good people than bad people, and “people always help.”

I am kind of a pessimist, so I held my tongue about how “helpful” the perpetrator was.  Next visit, I’m going to actually read the little scroll of Scripture hanging by the kitchen, ’cause I bet anything its sentiment reflects Tony’s philosophy.

Also, I’m shooting an email to Sgt. Krumer to see whether there have been any similar thefts lately with the same unusual modus operandi, although given the biking demographic in this area, a lot of such crimes, even when accompanied by physical violence, probably aren’t reported.

For several months now, I’ve been reading about similar strong-arm bike-jackings from other cities across the country — including several right here in California  —in which thieves have used everything from baseball bats to brute force to knock riders off their bikes before riding off with them.

Hopefully, this is just an isolated incident and not the beginning of yet another dangerous trend local riders have to worry about.

Maybe Tony’s positive attitude and willingness to fight for his bike will send a message to potential thieves to find another way to get their prey. Or maybe find another line of work altogether.

And maybe I need to stop in for a little shawarma next time I ride those new 7th Street bike lanes.

……..

One last note.

A great story from a formerly auto-centric Toronto columnist who tried biking to work at the urging of a local bike activist and blogger.

And liked it.

Thanks to Taylor Peck for the heads-up.

And a happy All Hallows Eve to all you bike-born boys and ghouls.

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

Your Halloween weekend Linkapalooza, with extra scary GOP attacks on bike/ped funding

October 30, 2011 / / 2 comments

They just don’t get it.

Once again, Washington Republicans show their skill at thinking small by attempting to cut relative pennies in bike and pedestrian finding, absurdly declaring war on bike lanes in an apparent attempt to return the nation to the good old days of the car-centric past when men were men and drivers felt free to run riders off the road.

People for Bikes responds by saying we shouldn’t have to choose between safe bridges and safe streets, while cutting back on federal bike and pedestrian funding could leave our roads and bridges in worse shape.

On the other hand, I’m more than willing to trade the relatively paltry Transportation Enhancement set-asides for a federal commitment to a Complete Streets approach to every federally funded highway project.

……..

If you’re going to be attending next weekend’s California Bike Summit, Flying Pigeon has a bike for you, at just $30 for the full weekend.

……..

L.A. seeks TIGER funds to build out a 50-mile L.A. River bikeway. Buffered green bike lanes could soon be coming to Spring Street in Downtown L.A. Flying Pigeon offers a brilliant and amusing look at how we’ll survive a post-apocalyptic world without bikes; they seem to have given a lot of thought to the forthcoming Zombie apocalypse. Bikeside offers responses from two bike-friendly candidates for L.A.’s 15th council district. LACBC looks at last week’s 2nd annual City of Lights Awards dinner. The planned Village at USC wants your input on cycling at the new development. A Pomona cyclist is critically injured when a driver attempts to pass another car on the right. Hermosa Beach is the latest city to approve the proposed South Bay Bike Plan. Improvements to the El Segundo NRG power plant could mean detours on the beachfront Marvin Braude bike path through next May. Primary Resources offers a look back at L.A.’s 1975 bike plan.

The Amgen Tour of California is invited to bypass the Santa Ynez Valley. Why does Newport Beach force cyclists and pedestrians to contend with right turn lanes that act as virtual freeway onramps? Critical Mass cyclists help Occupy San Diego. What to do if — or more likely, when — a traffic light doesn’t detect you. That’s Grey’s Anatomy’s Patrick Dempsey on that bike; he’s been a big supporter of cycling throughout the country. San Francisco cyclists could soon attend traffic school instead of paying traffic fines just like drivers do; I’m told a similar plan is under consideration here in L.A. Do busy separated bike lanes pose a danger to disabled people? Cyclelicious points out a couple of newspaper columnists who’ve discovered the joys of cycling in Toronto and New Orleans.

Mark your calendar for the National Bike Summit next March 20 – 22nd in Washington DC. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration teams with the Ad Council to say “Stop the texts. Stop the wrecks.” One-third of drivers killed in traffic collisions tested positive for drugs. You could go to work as usual next summer, or you could own your own bike rental on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. A Seattle bike cam shows what it’s really like to commute by bike. You can spend a fortune on high-tech rain gear, or just buy an umbrella. The Colorado Highway Patrol finally gets around to investigating the death of a cyclist — four months after his death; how scary is that? A Chicago alderman calls for licensing cyclists, which is exactly the right approach if you want to create barriers to keep people from riding. These days, even Superman rides a bike. New York’s Columbus Ave bike lanes have significantly improved safety and proven popular with cyclists and local residents alike. Evidently, killing a cyclist while speeding with a suspended license is perfectly legal in the Big Apple; then again, so is leaving the scene of a fatal collision. Ten years behind bars for a Mississippi driver who killed a Dutch bike tourist while high on morphine. A Mississippi letter writer calls for banning cyclists on roads with speed limits over 25 mph in order to protect motorists from hurting us; anyone see a problem with that logic?

Bike Biz asks if the bike industry is spending enough time and money on advocacy; short answer, no; long answer, still no. Three simple steps to do bike parking right. A brilliant idea — you learn to build bikes, and your first one goes to someone who needs it. Introducing the world’s first BMW bike dealership; another sign of peak car? Riding through Northumberland on some great and not so great bikeways. John Lennon slept with his bike. Bicycling’s Bill Strickland reminisces about a fallen rider he never met. Much still needs to be done to make the 2012 London Olympics safe for cyclists. UK police are seeking a bike-and-run cyclist who left a pedestrian paralyzed following a collision. Bremen gets a bicycle barometer to go with their shiny new 25% mode share. A breathtaking preview of next year’s Giro. The intersection of bikes and Burning Man; Amsterdamize calls it the video of the year.

Finally, how’s this for scary? An anti-bike terrorist attempts to decapitate Aussie cyclists by stringing wire across a bike path. And even pointing a gun at a cyclist evidently isn’t enough to make the Tucson police give a damn.

One quick parting thought.

Why is it that we all assume when the Zombie apocalypse comes, we’ll be the ones running from the brain suckers and not the other way around?

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

¡Vivan Los Muertos, L.A. Green Festival, Malibu Gran Fondo and a handful of homeless cats

October 28, 2011 / / One comment

One quick non-biking note before we get started on this week’s bike events.

If you’ve got some room in your home and heart for a little feline companionship, I’d strongly recommend checking out the Catmandoo Rescue Group every Saturday and Sunday at the Petcos at 1873 Westwood Blvd and 8801 Sepulveda Blvd.

They’re great people, and do everything right — fostering rescued cats in private homes, cage free, to ensure they get the love, care and attention they need until they find a permanent home. And more importantly, they have a lot of great cats who need good homes.

I would have taken home a couple myself last week if it weren’t for my wife’s allergies and the Corgi’s general antipathy for anything furry and four-footed, especially of the feline persuasion.

If you can’t stop by in person, you’ll find their email and phone number on their website. Few things would make me happier than to know some of those cats had found a home this weekend.

……..

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 Autry Museum honors fallen cyclists with a unique Day of the Dead display, as part of ¡Vivan Los Muertos! from 3 to 9 pm at the Autry Museum, 4700 Western Heritage Way in Griffith Park. Highly recommended.

Saturday, October 29th and Sunday, October 30th, Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles hosts a Women’s Weekend, with rides, food, demos and optional wine tasting.

Youth Educational Sports and Kaiser Permanente sponsor the THRIVE Walk/Ride Event on Saturday the 30th, starting and finishing next to the Balboa Park bike path, 6335 Woodley Avenue, with rides starting at 7 am, and bike rodeo from 9 am to noon; registration required.

Free admission to this weekend’s L.A. Green Festival at the L.A. Convention Center when you park your bike with the free bike valet.

The Malibu Canyon Gran Fondo rolls on Saturday, October 30th, starting and ending at Saddlerock Ranch, 31743 Mulholland Hwy in Malibu, with rides of 65 miles — and 6,800 feet of climbing — 45 miles and 17 miles, as well as a kids ride along the ranch, with a picnic and after party to follow.

November 1st, 3rd, 7th and 10th, LADOT will hold a series of Westside Mobility meetings to discuss the future of Westside Commuting; topics include Project Overview, Bicycle and Pedestrian, Transit – Light Rail, Bus and BRT, Roadways, Smart Choices for Commuting, Parking, and Project Ideas via Electronic Surveying. See website for times, locations and registration.

Velo Cult and the Golden Saddle Cyclery team up for a bike swap on Saturday, November 5th at 11 am, 1618 Lucille Ave.

Also on the 5th, Free the Streets unfolds its eco-visionary experiential art/music fest celebrating the burgeoning bicycle cultural scene of South Los Angeles. (And yes, I lifted that directly from the Facebook page.) It takes place from 2 pm to 10 pm at Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Ave. Admission is restricted to 21 and over, with a $10 entry free and on-site bike valet; all proceeds go to support the expansion of CicLAvia into South L.A.

Saturday, November 5th through Monday, November 7th, the California Bicycle Coalition will host the 2011 California Bike Summit to help set the statewide bicycle advocacy agenda for 2012 and beyond. The sessions with take place at Downtown’s Kyoto Grand Hotel, with the Monday session held at the California Endowment for Health; Flying Pigeon is offering a $30 weekend bike rental.

The next ride in the LACBC’s popular series of Sunday Funday rides takes place on Sunday, November 6th with the East Valley Hansen Dam Ride, lead by board member Carrie Ungerman. The ride meets at the North Hollywood Metro Station at Lankershim and Chandler at 9 am and rolls at 9:30. The easy 23 mile ride is free for LACBC members and one guest; memberships will be available at a reduced price.

The South Bay Bike Plan continues it’s long march to approval with hearings before the four remaining city councils: Lawndale on November 7th, Gardena on November 8th, Manhattan Beach on the 15th and Torrance on November 22nd.

The LACBC Planning Committee meets the second Tuesday of each month; the next meeting is scheduled for 7 pm on November 8th, site to be determined.

Friday, November 11 through Sunday, November 13th, the Eastside Bike Club hosts the LA Tamale Throwdown at a site to be determined, offering a chance to sample some of the city’s best tamales, coffee and pan Mexicano; bike valet courtesy of Flying Pigeon LA.

On Saturday, November 12th, C.I.C.L.E. hosts a ride through the streets canvas of our city, with a leisurely paced 7.5 mile tour of L.A. street murals in Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights and the Downtown Arts District, with a party to follow. Riders meet at Lincoln Park by the Valley Blvd parking lot, Valley Blvd and San Pablo Street, with the ride starting at 1:30 pm.

Also on Saturday the 12th, Palm Desert hosts the first Palm Desert Century Bike Ride, with rides of 20, 32, 50, 60, 70 and 100 miles; online registration ends November 11th.

Update: The LACBC’s Tour de Taste originally scheduled for Sunday, November 13th, has been postponed, with the date to be determined.

The County of Los Angeles unveils the final draft of their proposed new bike plan, offering a more than 500% increase in bikeways. Your last chance to comment of the plan could come before the County of Los Angeles Regional Planning Commission, Wednesday, November 16th at 9 am in the Hall of Records, Room 150, 320 West Temple Street in Downtown L.A.

December 7th through 11th, Antenna Magazine’s Re:mix Lab will hit L.A. after a semi-national tour, featuring two urban Bad Boy bikes designed by Cannondale in cooperation with Junk Food Clothing. The art, music, fashion and cultural festival will unfold at a site to be selected.

Friday, December 9th, the Midnight Ridazz host what may be the most important ride of the year, when they ensure that thousands of L.A. children will have a happy holiday with the 6th Annual All-City Toy Ride. Routes will begin from points throughout the city, converging on Downtown L.A. to collect the toys and celebrate the season.

Tuesday, December 27th, the LACBC returns to Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse for the 3rd Annual Mid-Winter Merriment, 2911 Main Street. Good beer, good friends, bike valet and a portion of all sales goes to support cycling in the great L.A. area. What’s not to like?

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

No news is good news? Stephanie Segal sentencing delayed

October 28, 2011 / / 9 comments

As many of you may know, Stephanie Segal was scheduled to be sentenced yesterday for the drunken hit-and-run death of cyclist James Laing in Agoura Hills last October.

However, when there was no word last night on the sentencing, I reached out to cyclist/attorney Dj Wheels to see if he’d heard anything. As it turned out, he’d already checked with the court clerk, who informed him that the hearing had been continued to November 29th; no reason was given.

Personally, I’m hoping the judge will give us a strict sentence we can be thankful for around Thanksgiving, instead of a terrifying slap on the wrist just before Halloween.

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Wheels also reports that Shawn Fields is appealing his seven-year sentence in the drunken hit-and-run death of 17-year old cyclist Danny Marin, case number B236186. His opening brief is due in mid-December; however, he’s still waiting for an attorney to be appointed, so expect a delay.

And a trial date has finally been scheduled for Patrick Roraff in the alleged street-racing death of pro cyclist Jorge Alvarado in April of last year. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for December 19, with a trial readiness conference January 20th, and the actual trial is set to begin on January 23rd. As Wheels notes, we’ll have to see how firm those dates turn out to be.

After all, Roraff may have some more soccer matches scheduled.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , ,

Ventura cyclist evidently dies of natural causes, LACBC City of Lights dinner tonight

October 26, 2011 / / 4 comments

After a 70-year old cyclist was found dead on the side of the road near Fillmore, authorities conclude that he died of natural causes.

The rider, who has not yet been publicly identified, was discovered on Guiberson Road roughly three miles east of Chambersburg Road in Ventura County around 10:30 am Tuesday.

According to the Ventura County Star,

The 70-year-old man was riding his bicycle when he pulled off the road, collapsed and died, said Armando Chavez, a senior deputy Ventura County medical examiner. An autopsy was not performed, but there were no signs of trauma Chavez said. The man had an extensive history of medical problems, he added.

So in other words, they’re guessing that he died of natural causes, since it sort of looks that way. No sense wasting time and money on an autopsy; after all, he was just  a cyclist with a history of medical problems.

Thanks to a regular reader for tipping me off to the story.

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There’s still time to attend tonight’s City of Lights 2nd Annual Awards Dinner at La Fonda Supper Club, 2501 Wilshire Blvd, followed by music and dancing. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and L.A. Times columnist Hector Tobar will be honored, and ticket prices have been reduced to $45 for everyone.

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San Francisco elects to put cyclists at further risk by allowing cab drivers to stop in bike lanes.

According to the San Francisco Examiner, at least some cabbies feel justified in blocking the lane since some bike riders break the law.

Ed Healy, another driver, said cabbies miss out on fares because they’re reluctant to pull over to the curb for fear of getting a ticket.

“The bicyclists may not like this, but I don’t think they can complain about much, considering they run red lights all the time,” Healy said.

But doesn’t allowing drivers to stop in a bike lane violate state law, since it’s a legitimate lane of traffic — albeit one reserved for bikes?

I hope the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has a good lawyer on their payroll.

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Gary looks at the good, the bad and the ugly in Santa Monica’s new bikeways. Here’s your chance to work at Santa Monica’s new Bike Center. L.A. cyclists are finally going to get our first wayfinding signs. Joe Linton asks how long it takes to get sharrows on the street. A good discussion on the Eastsider website about police traffic stops that place cyclists in jeopardy — except for the kind of semi-illiterate bike-hating troll who always seems to show up in any story about bikes, and threatens to wrap his Camry around any rider who goes through a stop sign; thanks to Mike for the heads-up. Advice on how even Angelenos can ride in the rain. Don’t miss the Velo Cult Bike Swap on November 5th, even though I will, since I’ll be getting ready for the California Bike Summit later that day. Hermosa Beach becomes the latest city to adopt the new South Bay Bike Plan.

An OC cyclist confronts a driver who admits that yes, she was trying to hit the rider with her car; you’d think that would be something the authorities might take just a little more seriously. An interview with Elk Grove cyclist Scott Brown following his recent finish in the Furnace Creek 508. The body of a Roseville cyclist missing since the 16th of this month has been found, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot. Shasta County turns to eminent domain to acquire a .12 acre sliver of land needed to complete a bike path. Levi Leipheimer calls Sonoma County the best place on earth to ride a bike.

Elly Blue takes an intelligent look at running stop signs and drivers who complain simply because she’s in the road; although there can be consequences for jumping lights. When a Phoenix truck driver flees the scene after killing a cyclist, a second driver uses his truck to protect the victim. A Tucson cyclist killed last week did have brakes on his bike, though witnesses say he didn’t appear to be panicking as he rode through a stop sign into oncoming traffic. Once again, Utah good Samaritans lift a car off an injured person, this time a bicyclist. Exploring Denver by B-Cycle. A Tulsa cyclist survives a crash into a parked car that sent him through the rear windshield and into the vehicle, where he had the presence of mind to call 911; the Witch on a Bicycle says he may have been forced into it by another car. Chicago authorities line up mannequins along a busy street to demonstrate pedestrians killed in the city so far this year. Once again, a driver admits to not seeing a cyclist before killing him, this time in Michigan, and once again, police ignore the confession and let the driver off; if you ever want to murder someone, just use your car then claim you didn’t see the victim. A Cincinnati student newspaper directs Halloween thrill seekers to the site of a cyclist’s death. This is so wrong in so many ways, as New York police blow off the family of a recent cycling victim and crack down on reckless cyclists after giving the driver a pass because he didn’t know he’d killed anyone (see above). Mobile AL becomes the latest city to adopt its own three-foot passing law; somehow, they managed to pass what our governor vetoed. After a cyclist is killed by a fire truck, Florida officials demonstrate a complete and total ignorance of fixed-gear bikes, asserting the only way to stop a brakeless fixie is to put a foot down or fall off, apparently unaware that fixies can stop if the rider just stopz pedaling; seriously, how is it that police are allowed to be so damned ignorant about the very subject they’re investigating? A study from the most dangerous state for cyclists and pedestrians shows that drivers really do base passing distance on cyclist’s sex and attire, as well as how far you ride from the curb; from now on, I’m wearing a dress and taking the lane. And no, it won’t be pretty.

The Canada Safety Council bizarrely declares traffic calming a waste of money; clearly, not everyone agrees. A Canadian driver on trial for hit-and-run claims he thought he hit a deer — though not many deer have reflectors and a tail light. A $110 fine for fatally dooring a cyclist on Ottawa. After a campaign by a grieving father, the Ottawa coroner will review cycling deaths in an attempt to improve safety. London’s much derided cycling superhighways have seen their first fatality, as anger turns to Mayor BoJo and Transport for London (their LADOT-equivalent). The only cyclist to fail a drug test at this year’s Tour de France gets fined a whopping $1,000, yet a former Paralympic champ gets a two year ban. An Australian court rules it’s okay to punch a cyclist in the face, breaking his glasses and drawing blood, if the cyclist calls you names and tries to write down your license number. An Aussie helmet cam study shows drivers at fault in 9 out of 10 potential collisions. A look at delivery bikes in India carrying far more than you’d think they — or you — could. Japanese authorities crack down on cyclists following an increase in bike vs. pedestrian crashes following the recent earthquake.

Finally, a Eureka cyclist credits his helmet after bouncing 20 feet off a car’s windshield and landing in traffic; the driver was turning her car with the sun in her eyes and the rider in a blind spot — so needless to say, the police wrote it off as “just one of those things.”

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