Rest in peace, Wouter Weylandt

May 9, 2011 / / One comment

I grew up a boxing fan.

In those days, before pay-per-view, it was almost hard not to be one.

It was the glory days of Mohamed Ali, Joe Frazier and George Forman, when he was still an angry young man who could strike fear in Frazier and make Mike Tyson seem like a Zen master. I followed closely as they mixed and matched in the greatest series of bouts since American Joe Louis fought German Max Schmeling in the build-up to World War II, with all the political and master-race baggage those times threw into the ring with them.

It was also a great way of bonding with my father, as we’d gather in front of the TV with a bowl of popcorn and a beer — for my dad, anyway — and watch the drama unfold in living color. The seemingly indestructible Quarry Brothers could take a beating on Friday night, then get back up to win the next round, or the next fight; Colorado’s own Ron Lyle would emerge from the state prison to go toe-to-toe with Ali and Foreman, nearly beating them both.

That all changed in 1982, when we watched Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini take on South Korean fighter Duk Koo Kim for the lightweight championship; this time separated by a few thousand miles, but knowing we’d talk later to discuss every knockdown.

That call never took place.

Mancini stopped Kim in the 14th round, winning by TKO as Kim hit the canvas hard, then struggled back to his feet; he died four days later after slipping into a coma moments afterwards.

To the best of my knowledge, my dad never watched another fight.

I’ve tried a few times, but find myself screaming at the TV for the referee to stop the bout as soon as I see a boxer trapped against the ropes, fending off a barrage of blows. I’d rather watch the replay on HBO long after the fight is over, knowing that everyone has walked away.

And Ultimate Fighting?

Forget it.

I was reminded of that today, after sleeping in late to recover from an overly taxing weekend, awaking to the news that Leopard Trek rider Wouter Weylandt died after falling in today’s third stage of the Giro d’Italia.

For all the danger of the peloton and twisting, heart-pounding descents, fatalities are rare in bike racing, just as they are in boxing and other seemingly dangerous sports.

Pro racer Fabio Casartelli died in the ’95 Tour de France; Andrei Kivilev during the Paris-Nice classic in ’03.

Both tragic, both devastating. Yet both demonstrating just how rare events like this are, despite the dangerous courses and riding conditions pro cyclists are forced to contend with. And even though injuries, sometimes serious, are common.

Training can also be deadly, as riders are forced to contend with the same road and traffic conditions the rest of us face on a daily basis, while putting in more miles at higher speeds.

Yet the riders on the pro tour are the best of the best, taking on challenges and employing skills most of us will never approach. And pulling them off beautifully — and often, spectacularly.

Even amateur racers and recreational riders can face similar risks, as we push ourselves to the edge of our capabilities, whether to improve our skills or experience the thrills of carving the perfect turn on a high-speed descent.

Including me on more than one occasion.

Back when I lived in Colorado, I was young and fearless — and yes, very reckless. While I prided myself on my bike safety skills, I had no aversion to pushing the edge, bombing down steep descents and carving high-speed turns with my knee nearly scraping the pavement. And more than once ending up with a bloody kneecap to prove I’d pushed it just a little too far.

One time stands out, though, in terms of crossing the line from pushing the edge to sheer adrenaline and testosterone addled stupidity.

I’d somehow managed to talk my girlfriend at the time to give a handful of fellow thrill-seekers a ride up a steep mountain pass. The plan was that she would wait for us at the bottom while we rode down with one simple rule: the first one to touch his brakes lost.

Those were the days when bike helmets were a relatively new concept, worn only by overly safety-conscious people who wouldn’t set foot in a car unless it was a Volvo. So we set off bare-headed as cars and heavy trucks wizzed by on our left.

It wasn’t long, though, before those cars were no longer speeding past. As my companions dropped off one by one, I found myself passing startled riders on their right, riding the shoulder in a racing crouch at speeds I estimated as somewhere around 70 to 75 mph.

In those days, when bike computers were just beginning to hit the pro tour, speed was usually judged by comparing yours to that of the cars passing by. That particular highway had a 55 mph speed limit; I knew from experience that most drivers regularly exceeded that limit by a good five to ten mph — and the fact that I was passing every car with ease told me I was doing well over that.

And yes, I knew at the time that what I was doing was incredibly dangerous; at that speed, a single patch of gravel or broken glass could have been fatal.

Somehow I made it, riding far beyond my ability to arrive at the bottom of the mountain half an hour before my companions. And several minutes faster than my girlfriend could drive the same route at highway speeds.

While I knew what I was doing was dangerous, I’m not sure I fully understood the risk I was taking.

Just this past January, two riders died under similar circumstances; both probably far more skilled than I was at the time and riding at much lower speeds.

Now older and hopefully wiser, I can still put myself in that moment and feel the same incredible rush I did that day, yet think I was an idiot to even try it.

Let alone lacking the common sense and instinct for self-preservation to back off when my more prudent friends did.

Weylandt’s death in the Giro serves as a tragic reminder that our sport can carry a significant risk, even when performed at the highest levels by the most skilled riders. And it’s made even more tragic by the news that his wife is pregnant with a child who will never know his or her father.

Reportedly, his left pedal touched a wall during a high-speed descent, sending him into a 65 foot tumble down the hillside; despite rescue efforts that lasted 40 minutes, the race’s medical team was unable to resuscitate him, and his body taken to a nearby hospital, not for emergency treatment, but for an autopsy.

Yes, I’ll watch the Giro again tomorrow.

But it won’t be the same.

.………

There have been a number of moving statements during the course of this day.

But a couple stand out in my mind, and I’ll let them sum up this sad day; you’ll find additional links to stories about this tragedy below.

Say it ain’t so… Wouter, you were kind and gracious to me every day at Tour of Oman. You will be very dearly missed.

Taylor Phiney, @taylorphinney

The very act of cycling is in itself a celebration – so it’s especially hard when a life is lost in that act. RIP Wouter Weylandt.

Steve Montalto, @Highmountain4

.………

The Leopard Trek team responds to Weylandt’s death. Photos of Weylandt winning the same stage in last year’s Giro, and at the start of today’s race just hours before his death. ESPN says his best years were still coming. Johan Bruyneel says the sick feeling in his stomach just won’t go away. Memories of one of the world’s greatest races before today’s bad news. Bicycling offers more details on Weylandt’s death. The Trickster forwards in-depth coverage of the story from New Zealand. Thoughts on the risks and tragic ironies of competition.

Finally, Bike Snob offers his very moving thoughts on today’s tragedy.

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

Giro kicks off, The Lancet calls for road safety, on-road portion of the Expo bikeway takes shape

May 8, 2011 / / 2 comments

The racing season starts for real as the legendary Giro d’Italia kicks off with a team time trial, which was won by HTC-Highroad.

Italian time trial champion Marco Pinotti wears the pink jersey — the Giro’s equivalent of the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. Bike Snob covers the race for Bicycling in his own inimitable style, while the magazine offers 10 riders to watch, including Contador, Sastre, Nibali, Cavendish and Petacchi.

Unfortunately, the field is weakened as a number of top teams have opted to take part in the competing Amgen Tour of California, which will roll during the Giro’s second week.

.………

An editorial in the respected medical journal The Lancet calls for reducing road dangers, both from collision and disease caused by over-reliance on automobiles.

3000 people die each day in accidents on the roads worldwide—nearly 1·3 million people a year. In addition, 20—50 million people are injured each year, many of whom end up with lifelong disabilities. 90% of road-traffic deaths occur in low-income and middle-income countries, despite fewer vehicles in these countries. Without concerted action, road-traffic injuries are predicted to be the fifth leading cause of death by 2030 (after ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lower respiratory infections)—a leap from being the ninth ranked cause of death in 2004. In those aged 15—29 years, road-traffic injuries are the leading cause of death. Just over half of all deaths on the roads are in those not travelling in a car.

These numbers are stark, but do not take into account the epidemic of chronic disease and obesity, or the effects on air pollution and climate change, which result from increasing reliance on motorised vehicles. Conversion of a road-traffic injury epidemic to one of obesity or heart disease needs to be avoided.

They conclude with a common-sense call to action I can back wholeheartedly.

Making towns and cities safer for pedestrians and cyclists, or promoting use of seat belts or helmets, might not be as cutting edge as stem-cell research but will save more lives this decade.

.………

The opening of Metro’s new Expo Line may be delayed once again — until next year this time — but the accompanying bike lanes are hitting the pavement on Expo Blvd now. And yes, we all hoped for an off-road bike path like the Valley’s Orange Line, but they’ve been saying for months we weren’t going to get it for the full length.

Evidently, they were right.

And I’m told that the eastbound lane transitions from asphalt to concrete in the middle of the lane; nothing like an uneven riding surface on a brand new bikeway.

Thanks to Patrick Murray for the heads-up.

.………

LACBC celebrates Bike Month by giving away a new IZIP electric bike; any new or renewing members are eligible. Cyclists tell the Source why they ride. Flying Pigeon calls on cyclists to support the bike advocacy group of their choice. Recent City Council candidate Stephen Box suggests LADOT’s acting head may have warn out his welcome. An anonymous writer for Bikeside says if you really want to understand planning, ride a bike. Matthew Ruscigno looks back at last month’s Feel My Legs, I’m a Racer. West Hollywood considers the possibility of a road diet and bike lanes on Fountain Avenue. The Santa Monica Daily Press says yes, you do have to stop for stop signs and traffic signals. Beverly Hills will host a bike workshop on Thursday, May 12th to get ready for Bike Week LA; Ron Durgin will be teaching, so count on expert instruction. Glendale will host a series of events for Bike Month. A look at Saturday’s L’Tape du California.

A San Diego writer looks back at his first week of bike commuting in the merry Bike Month of May; results so far, he’s tired. The SF Gate answers the concerns that keep women from commuting by bike. Five commuting tips to make every day Bike to Work Day. Three Bay Area counties are tracking cyclists through smartphone apps to collect data for future planning purposes. Benicia banishes downtown bike racks for being unsightly and diminishing the area’s historic character; something tells me they didn’t get rid of car parking for the same reasons. Those sporty spoilers can direct exhaust fumes directly to your head.

Lovely Bicycle reviews the Urbana bike; I offered my thoughts back in December. Nine years after his nephew is killed in a car crash, a Minot ND man honors his memory by giving away nearly 600 bikes to local children. A Detroit-area patrolman knew the cyclist he killed in a collision. Circling the heart of New York on the unfinished Manhattan Waterfront Greenway. A suspicious cyclist causes a scare at Ground Zero. Three Buffalo NY cyclists set out to complete the cross county bike ride they abandoned following a collision 25 years earlier.

A writer in VeloNews says it may be time to take on competitive cycling’s governing body; a new time trial shoe banned by the UCI fights back. CNN lists 15 bike-friendly cities around the world. Oxford’s new Lord Mayor vows to bike to work. One of the most gut-wrenching bike PSAs I’ve ever seen. Interrupting a bike ride to save a baby bunny. Bike-mounted cameras reveal the abuse Aussie drivers dish out.

Finally, an alleged drunk driver keeps going after killing a pedestrian in San Francisco, then smashes into a series of parked cars before coming to rest against a concrete planter. And Orange County authorities arrest an underage driver with a blood alcohol level of .30; so high, it causes police to say they’ve never seen anyone that drunk.

.………

My apologies for not updating the upcoming bike events this week; I was tied up preparing for a surprisingly successful Saturday morning workshop biking issues in the ‘Bu. Thanks to the Malibu Public Safety Commission for bringing open minds and truly listening to our ideas and concerns; hopefully this is the beginning of a new relationship with the City of Malibu and better safety for everyone on PCH.

Stranger things have happened.

I’ll try to update the Events page over the next few days. There’s a lot going on this month you won’t want to miss.

Meanwhile, Damien Newton offers a comprehensive listing of Bike Month events on Streetsblog.

Category: General, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , ,

State cycling group sides with AAA to stand in the way of cycling safety

May 6, 2011 / / 35 comments

Frankly, I expected a drivers’ organization to oppose California’s proposed three-foot passing law.

When it’s come up for a vote before, a number of organizations have stood in it’s way, from AAA and truckers groups to, inexplicably, the California Highway Patrol.

Even though safe driving — that is, not running over cyclists or forcing us off the road — would seem to be in everyone’s interest.

But I didn’t expect a state-wide cycling organization to oppose a commonsense law that would make California streets safer for everyone who rides them.

Then again, maybe I should have, considering that they’ve already come out against the Idaho Stop Law that would allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yields — a law that has proved remarkably successful in its home state, and is the envy and desire of cyclists around the country.

Myself included.

While everyone from the more mainstream California Bicycle Association to Mayor of Los Angeles support the bill, the California Association of Bicycling Organizations has come out strongly against SB 910. That bill, which recently passed the state Senate’s Transportation and Housing Committee on the 6-3 vote, would establish a minimum three-foot passing distance for drivers passing cyclists, as well as establishing a maximum 15 mph speed differential when passing closer than that.

According to CABO’s website, one reason they oppose the bill is that they don’t believe three feet is “measurable or enforceable in practice.”

Bullshit.

As it now stands, motorists are required to pass bicyclists at a safe distance without interfering with their safe operation. But there is absolutely no standard what a safe distance is.

While some drivers thankfully interpret it as giving cyclists a wide birth when they pass, others consider anything short of actually running over a rider to be perfectly acceptable. As virtually any cyclist who has ridden California roads for any amount of time can attest, it’s not the least bit uncommon to be passed with anything from a couple feet to mere inches of clearance.

Or to have a motorist squeeze by in same lane with so little margin for error that a simple sneeze on either party’s part could lead to a dangerous collision.

But under the existing standard, if you don’t actually get hit or knocked off your bike, it’s a safe — and therefore legal — pass. Even if it scared the crap out of you or made you struggle to avoid losing control.

And let’s not forget that the slipstream of a moving vehicle can sometimes be enough to make a cyclist lose control or knock you off your bike.

Despite their protestations, it’s actually the current vague standard that’s impossible to measure, giving drivers no guidance whatsoever as to how close they should or shouldn’t pass. And providing no objective standard for law enforcement, leading to judgment calls that can vary widely from one jurisdiction to another, and from officer to officer.

The three foot standard was never intended as an exact measurement. No one will ever pull out a tape measure to determine if a car is 35” or 37” from the cyclist being passed.

But any trained police officer should be able tell if a driver is passing significantly less than that. Just as any cyclist knows when a car is passing too close.

As a simple guide, the average adult arm is far less than three feet long. So if a cyclist could reach out and come anywhere near touching a passing vehicle, it’s in clear violation of the law. Under the current standard, though, it could come far closer as long as it doesn’t actually interfere with the operation of your bike.

The problem with that is that it allows no margin for error. Any unexpected action by either party could lead to a disastrous collision. Evidently, CABO has no problem with that, since they think the current standard is just fine, thank you.

Three feet merely provides, for the first time, an enforceable standard, giving motorists a yardstick — pun intended — to measure, not how close they should come, but the minimum distance they should stay away. And offers police a way to judge, without guessing, when a vehicle is too close.

Does it mean, as CABO suggests, that a three-foot law will encourage drivers to pass closer than they should under some situations, such as when driving large vehicles or travelling at high speeds?

You mean they don’t already?

Obviously, there are situations where more than three feet of clearance should be given. But I’ll gladly settle for 36 inches as opposed to the current standard of anything goes. And don’t forget, that’s a minimum standard; drivers are more than welcome to give more space when passing.

To be fair, though, I do agree with CABO on a couple points.

For instance, the proposed law contains an exemption allowing drivers to pass cyclists with less than three feet clearance, as long as they slow down to no more than 15 mph faster than the bike being passed.

In other words, if you’re riding at 15 mph, a driver wouldn’t have to give you three feet as long as they were travelling at no more than 30 mph.

I don’t think so.

I don’t know of any objective way for a driver or law enforcement officer to know just what the speed differential is between any two passing vehicles.

And frankly, I don’t want a driver trying to squeeze by at 10 mph above my speed any more than I want one doing it at 20, 30 or 40.

Even at the slower speeds, it would do nothing to reduce the possibility that either party might swerve unexpectedly. So it would do little to reduce the risk of a collision, but merely limit the severity.

And personally, I’d rather not get hit at any speed, thank you,

We’re also in agreement that drivers should be allowed to briefly cross double yellow lines in order to pass a bike; many drivers — myself included — do that anyway. As long as the other side of the road is clear, there’s far less risk in briefly putting two wheels across the center line than in passing a rider too closely.

Others have argued that the failure to enforce similar laws in other areas suggests that it will fail here, as well. But it’s up to the cyclists and citizens in those states to get police to enforce the laws on the books, rather than our responsibility to avoid passing much needed laws.

After all, if the police somewhere else stopped enforcing their laws against armed robbery, that wouldn’t be a reason to take ours off the books.

There are provisions in the proposal that can and should be changed, and places where the wording could be tightened up to avoid unintended complications. However, there’s still plenty of time left to improve the bill before it comes up for a final vote.

But let’s face it. You don’t have to talk to many California cyclists to realize that our current law is a complete, abject and utter failure that puts every rider on our roads at needless risk.

And a three-foot passing law is a vital first step in correcting it.

Category: Advocacy & Politics / Tags: , , , ,

12-year old cyclist dies after being hit by alleged drunk driver

May 5, 2011 / / 9 comments

On Friday, April 22nd, 12-year old Shantrel Kailyn Williams was riding her bike on the sidewalk in front of her home on west Arbutus Street in Compton when she rode out a few feet into the street to turn around.

A few seconds later, the honor student at Long Beach’s Tincher Preparatory Academy lay in a crumpled heap on street, the victim of an alleged drunk driver.

According to her mother, she wasn’t wearing her helmet — even though state law requires helmets for riders under 18 — because Kailyn thought it was ugly, and her mother believed riding on the sidewalk in front of the house would be safe.

Despite surviving emergency brain surgery, doctors made it clear from the beginning that she wasn’t survive long, and that a difficult decision would have to made.

Last Sunday, after over a week in a medically induced coma, Kailyn was taken off life support and died later that night.

According to KCBC-2, 60-year old Thomas Abraham Long was arrested at the scene for driving under the influence; at last report he was still being held on $100,000 bond.

Her mother offers advice for other parents — and all bike riders:

I would tell everyone you need a helmet because you may control what you do, but you can’t control what someone else do.

This marks the 27th cycling death in Southern California this year, and ninth in L.A. County since the first of the year.

My heartfelt prayers and sympathy to Kailyn’s family and friends. Thanks to Allan Alessio for the heads-up.

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

Long Beach fire captain John Hines arraigned for drunken hit-and-run

May 4, 2011 / / 7 comments

An anonymous reader sent me the following email this morning.

In case it slipped under your radar, yesterday Fire Captain John D. Hines entered a preliminary plea of not guilty to three of his felony charges in the hit-and-run of of Jeffrey Gordon.  A judge then inexplicably denied the prosecutor’s request to increase the bail amount fivefold to $250,000, which incidentally was the amount of the arrest warrant issued on April 26th.  Hines has retained a bulldog of an attorney with a great deal of experience in keeping dangerous drivers on the streets.

Hines’ EMT certificate, #E030577, has not been revoked, and probably is not under review.

The writer goes on to note that Hines is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 17th.

And yes, it did slide under my radar, even though I’ve been following this case and scan the news for anything bike-related several times a day. So a big thanks for forwarding this information.

When I went back to look again after receiving the email, I found a number of stories like this one in the Contra Costa Times, each containing the same news release, virtually word for word, about Hines arraignment for running down a cyclist, then hitting the gas and fleeing the scene. And adding little to the story beyond what you see above.

Credit then, to the Los Alamitos-Seal Beach Patch, which took the time to dig a little deeper into the story — including noting, as we speculated, that Hines reportedly had checked himself into rehab following his initial arrest.

No doubt at the suggestion of the afore mentioned bulldog attorney, Vince Tucci, in the hopes of getting leniency from the court.

Hines faces a maximum of six years and eight months if convicted on the felony DUi and hit-and-run charges; two hours after the collision, his blood alcohol level was .24, three times the legal limit of .08.

“Instead of staying to render aid, he left the victim like common road kill in a pool of blood, and fled the scene…it is egregious,” Deputy District Attorney Andrew Katz said last week. “It’s 1 in the afternoon, he’s three times the legal limit. He’s a firefighter, no less, someone whose job it is to aid people in medical distress. It’s not some 18-year-old kid who had too much to drink. He knows better. He should know better.”

He’s released on just $50,000 bail, after the request to increase bail to the same $250,000 amount in the arrest warrant was denied.

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

Roraff apologizes for killing Jorge Alvarado; cyclists disagree with city on environmental review

May 3, 2011 / / 11 comments

According to the Highland Community News, Patrick Roraff is sorry he killed pro cyclist Jorge Alvarado last April.

In a brief story about the case going forward against Roraff and co-defendant Brett Morin for the alleged street racing collision that killed Alvarado, the paper mentions that Roraff wrote a letter apologizing to Alvarado’s family — as well as telling investigators how much he regretted his actions.

According to the accident report, Roraff wrote a letter to Alvarado’s family apologizing for the crash and told investigators, “I feel so stupid for even doing that, like trying to show off … I wish I could go back and just change everything, but I can’t … I can’t believe I took away a life.”

Unfortunately, no amount of remorse will bring the rising pro rider back to life.

Then again, no amount of punishment will either, no matter how much jail time the two teenage drivers receive.

Thanks to Dj Wheels for the heads-up.

Update: I received an email from an L.A. cyclist named Bret Morin, who pointed out that I had misspelled the name of the driver charged in Alvarado’s death as Bret, rather than Brett. My sincere apologies to the other Bret Morin for any inconvenience this may have caused.

.………

Surely no one is really surprised by this. Damien Newton reports that cyclists are in conflict with L.A.’s notoriously risk-averse agencies over plans for environmental review of projects in the new bike plan.

You didn’t think the fight was over once the plan was unanimously passed by the city council, did you?

.………

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson ride a tandem in Venice, which brings up one of my pet peeves.

For those unclear on the subject, the world-famous Venice Boardwalk is that crowded sidewalk between the stores and the beach where bikes are banned. That narrow strip of asphalt where Simpson and Johnson rode last weekend is the world-famous Marvin Braude, formerly Venice/Santa Monica, Bike Path, where bikes are actually allowed and pedestrians banned.

In theory, at least.

.………

LACBC calls for volunteers for this weekend’s Culver City bike count. The West Hollywood Bicycle Task Force meets this Wednesday at 6:30 pm. Bikerowave is hosting a bike swap meet this Sunday. Source readers overwhelmingly approve of removing bike restrictions on Metro trains. Fourth District Councilmember Tom LaBonge rides next to the L.A. River; public television station KCET offers a field guide to biking it yourself. Harry Dougherty offers great photos from last weekend’s Sunday Funday ride, as well as the L.A. River clean-up. Santa Monica Spoke will host a bike exhibition at the 20th Annual Santa Monica Festival. Gary Kavanagh says Santa Monica could be the envy of the bicycling nation. Hermosa Beach invites you to an all ages bike playdate on Saturday the 14th. SoCal’s bike-friendliest city celebrates Bike Month. The Claremont Cyclist offers local bike news, including the new Citrus Regional Bikeway. The Amgen Tour of California will bypass the scenic central coast due to a massive landslide.

Astronaut Grover says wear your helmet. It’s Bike Month, so get out there and don’t proselytize. What to consider when you get new tires. Then again, maybe you’re overinflating your tires; based on this, I may try dropping my front tire a little. What’s your motivation to ride to work? The League of American Bicyclists shifts their focus from educating cyclists to educating the drivers who threaten us, and wants your help to do it; they also release the latest list of bike-friendly cities. No surprise cycle tracks save lives. Touting the environmental benefits of cycling could do more harm than good. People for Bikes says 2011 could be the year of the bike. The perfect accessory for your designer handbag could be the new Kate Spade bike.

Lovely Bicycle ponders why some towns aren’t cycling towns. Participants in New York’s popular Five Boro Bike Ride seem to spend more time walking than riding. The Washington Post implies cyclists are the only ones who need to obey the law, while Wash Cycle deftly dismantles their arguments. DC cyclists are threatened by drivers, as well as the roads they ride on. Maryland adds tougher penalties for negligent drivers who kill cyclists. A cyclist is killed by a hit-and-run driver in North Carolina after falling in the street, even though his friends tried frantically to stop the oncoming driver; thanks to Zeke for the heads-up. Florida cyclists may get a chance to ride a local causeway legally. The legal deadline has passed for Lance Armstrong to sue Floyd Landis over doping allegations.

Canadian parents are charged with letting their nine-year old son ride without a helmet after he’s hit by a car. Maybe if you rode with a halo around your head, you might not end up with one. A nurse saves the life of a man who collapsed during a triathlon, then finishes the race herself. Town Mouse wonders if we’re teaching our children the right lessons. An 81-year old UK man dies after a collision with a cyclist. Great mostly bike-related artwork. Good road design makes peace break out between cyclists and drivers. Sydney homeowners discover living near a bike path is good for property values.

Finally, if you’ve already jumped bail after being ordered not to drink, don’t get drunk and ride your bike into a parked patrol car.

Category: General, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , ,

Don’t get me wrong…

May 2, 2011 / / 10 comments

Seriously, I’m glad Osama bin Laden is dead.

Even though this may be the first time the death of another human being has made me truly and unapologetically happy.

But let’s keep things in perspective.

Just under 3,000 people died on 9/11/2001.

That same year, over 14 times that many people died in traffic collisions; 42,109 to be exact.

And in the years that followed, from 2001 to 2009, 369,629 people died on American streets. Roughly 100 times the total number of deaths that can be attributed to al Qaeda in all the attacks before and after 9/11.

Bin Laden’s actions led to wars, a massive world-wide man hunt, draconian security procedures and a near-constant state of fear, here and around the world.

Yet hundreds of millions of people in the U.S. get behind the wheel every day without a moment’s thought. And almost nothing is done to ensure that they return home safely.

Based on the latest statistics, 96 people will die on American streets today. They could be your neighbors, your co-workers, your family, your friends. They could be total strangers.

It could be you.

Or me.

The attacks on 9/11 were devastating. I’m happy that bin Laden has finally been brought to justice. And I thank the men and women who sacrificed, and in some cases gave their lives, to make this possible.

But now maybe we can refocus on the carnage that takes place on our roads every day.

96 today.

672 this week.

2976 this month. Just one less than the number of victims killed on 9/11.

This month. And every month.

That’s the terror we need to fight now.

Category: Bicycle Safety / Tags: ,

Questions in the Silver Lake shooting death of Manuel Santizo, and lots of weekend links

April 30, 2011 / / 2 comments

Questions are being raised in the death of Manuel Santizo, the cyclist who was fatally shot in Silver Lake after being bumped by a car.

According to the Eastsider LA, Northeast Division homicide detectives say that while the suspects are believed to be gang members, there is no evidence that Santizo was involved in a gang.

“There is no indication that Manuel was a gang member. Nothing, nothing at all,” (homicide detective P.J.) Morris said.

The Eastsider LA adds that police are questioning something that had sounded odd to me in the original reports.

Also, Morris is puzzled by the fact that the shooters took the time to run down Santizo’s bike before opening fire. In most drive-by shootings, the suspects waste no time in firing their weapons and then fleeing from the scene. “It’s not indicative of a [typical] gang, drive-by shooting,” Morris said.

.………

The rider killed in a solo bike collision in Coachella last week had been identified as 63-year old Nemesio Herrera of Coachella.

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Witch on a Bicycle switches from confirmed vehicular cyclist to segregated infrastructure supporter, but warns that bad bike infrastructure is worse than no bike infrastructure.

.………

Bikeside’s Mihai Peteu looks at the Grand Opening of Long Beach’s protected bike lanes. LADOT Bike Blog looks forward to Bike Week. New lights come to the L.A. River Bike Path. Metro bike maps are making their appearance at local train stations. An Indian cyclist passes through the Valley on his way around the world to call attention to the environment. SoCal AAA offers their advice to motorists and cyclists on how to share the road together. A 10-year old Altadena boy is okay after being hit by a car in a SWSS.* When a horse is killed by an out-of-control car, no one says it shouldn’t have been on the road. Long Beach is hosting a meeting on the city’s proposed new bike plan on Tuesday.

Sometimes, bike safety progress comes in baby steps. A Newbury Park woman has ridden over 4,000 miles for charity. Best of luck for two UC Santa Barbara cyclists who have qualified for the National Championships. Bakersfield’s Bike Festival takes place in two weeks; and yes, I have walked those very streets. The latest nuptial trend is bike weddings, including this one at L.A.’s Mormon Temple. A 12-year old Modesto girl is in grave condition after being hit by a car. A Redwood City cyclist is beaten up in a 7-Eleven parking lot in a road rage dispute. Once you’ve downed a pint or two down, your risk of a bike crash goes up — as a Tulare rider just learned.

After getting hit by a car, a Kingman AZ teenager is cited for riding on the wrong side of the road and not having brakes on his bike. In a case that doesn’t quite add up, a 78-year old Missouri cyclist is killed when he runs into a Highway Patrol car parked on the side of the road; aside from the question of why he couldn’t see it, it would seem to require traveling at a surprising rate of speed. A Portland, Maine paper reports that a five-year old boy was injured when he collided a dump truck; no hint of press bias there. A New Hampshire woman moves to San Jose by bike. After the NY Post’s latest anti-bike diatribe, the paper publishes some voices of reason. New bike lanes are about to bloom in Philadelphia. Delaware tells cyclists they’re riding the wrong way. The Maryland Department of Transportation says cyclists are just being safe, not arrogant. A Georgia cyclist faces a charge of vehicular homicide a year after his alleged failure to yield causes the death of a motorcyclist; I wonder how many drivers have faced similar charges after cutting off bike riders? A Florida pastor plans to bike 1500 miles to New York to raise funds for Haiti.

Tips on how to bike commute safely. Large trucks continue to take their deadly toll on UK cyclists. A UK man is arrested for a drunken bike ride through the local supermarket in a chicken suit. The Dutch didn’t always ride like the Dutch, which gives hope to Dubliners, as well as the rest of us. Taylor Phinney’s hard-luck freshman year on the pro tour continues, as he crashes in the Tour de Romandie, shattering his bike but finishing on a spare. Bangalore University works to become bike-friendly through the country’s first university bike share program. A 10-day bike race wraps up in Ho Chi Minh City.

Finally, in an absolutely astounding case, after a Lancaster driver is stopped at a DUI check point, police notice his state of intoxication, as well as the fresh blood on the bumper of his car — and trace his route back to find a dead pedestrian lying on the side of the road.

*Single Witness Suicide Swerve

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

San Diego cyclist shot and killed in National City area (updated)

April 30, 2011 / / Comments Off on San Diego cyclist shot and killed in National City area (updated)

It’s happened once again.

Early Friday morning, 21-year old Jordan Hickey was shot and killed while riding his bike in the Lincoln Acres neighborhood of National City, just southeast of downtown San Diego.

The shooting occurred at 12:30 am on the 2800 block of Grove Street. When police arrived, they found Hickey lying on top of his bike, fatally shot at least once in the upper body. No explanation yet on the motive for the shooting.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the sheriff’s department at (858) 565-5200, or the homicide detail at (858) 974- 2321.

Remarkably, this is the third fatal shooting of a cyclist in Southern California this year, and the fourth since December.

Update: According to the Union-Tribune’s Sign On San Diego website, Hickey did not drive due to developmental disabilities, and rode his bike everywhere. He was returning home from visiting his girlfriend, and was just minutes from the apartment he shared with his mother and brother when he was shot. 

“He was just at the bottom of the hill,” his mother said. “He was almost home….”

She said her son “lived in his own world,” and was kind and caring. “He did not believe me when I told him that there are people in the world who would hurt you,” said Hickey, a single mom who has raised her sons on her own.

The story quotes his uncle, John Hickey, describing Jordan as artistic and gentle, someone who “wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

John Hickey said he was angry that this could happen to his nephew, who “never smoked, never did drugs, never drank” and who had “no malice toward anybody.”

Authorities still haven’t identified a motive; it doesn’t appear that he was robbed, and unlike the other recent bike-related shootings, there doesn’t appear to be any suspicion of gang violence.

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

Volunteers needed for Culver City bike count, and jam-packed bike weekend

April 30, 2011 / / 3 comments

Volunteers are needed for a bike count in Culver City next month.

As part of the Culver City Bicycle and Pedestrian Initiative, Culver City, the Culver City Bicycle Coalition, and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition will be conducting bicycle and pedestrian counts this May.  The last time counts were done was in 2009, so we need to get out there and document the changes.  Come join us and help Culver City become more bicycle and pedestrian friendly!

The counts will be held Wednesday, May 11th at 7 to 9am and 4 to 6pm and Saturday, May 14th from to 12 to 2pm and two volunteer training workshops will be conducted the Sunday afternoon (May 8th at 4pm) and Monday evening (May 9th at 6:30pm) at the Culver City Senior Center. It is really important that everyone attend one of the trainings as it’s where we’ll be passing count forms, providing you with location details, and making sure we’re all on the same page about how and what to count. Workshops will take about 1 hour to complete.

Volunteer Training Workshops:
When: Sunday, May 8th 4pm and Monday, May 9th 6:30pm
Where: Culver City Senior Center
Bicycle and Pedestrian Counts:
When: Wednesday, May 11th from 7 to 9am and 4 to 6pm and Saturday, May 14th from 12 until 2pm. 
Where: Sign up to volunteer and find out!!!
Please email either the Culver City Bicycle Coalition – jim@asylumdesign.com
or Alexis Lantz at LACBC – alexis@la-bike.org

.………

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

A bike ride will be held on Saturday, April 30th, to honor 17-year old German Alex Romero, who was killed by a speeding hit-and-run driver in Canoga Park last week. The ride will begin at 6 pm at the Reseda Orange Line bike path, ending at the crash site at De Soto and Valerio; participants are urged to wear white. Donations are being accepted to benefit Romero’s family at JB Bike Shop, 21527 Sherman Way.

Attention Boss fans — take in select screenings of the new Bruce Springsteen documentary The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town at a Laemmle Theatre near you, and half of all ticket sales will go to benefit the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition; screenings take place on Saturday, April 30th, Sunday May 1st and Monday the 2nd.

Sustainable Streets and Transition Culver City will be hosting a Confident City Cycling course for adult riders. The two-day course is intended to help bike riders gain the confidence and skill to ride a bike safely and legally in city traffic. The $75 course is limited to 12 people, and takes place Saturday, April 30th and Saturday, May 7th at 10 am to 2 pm at Linwood E. Howe Elementary School, 4100 Irving Place in Culver City; preregister at info@sustainablestreetsla.org.

Join Bikeside for Le Tour de Green Gardens, a tour of sustainable eco-friendly gardens on Saturday, April 30th, as they participate in the Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase; meet at 11 am at 3141 Greenfield Avenue.

Also on Saturday, April 30th, the Conejo Valley Cyclists presents Cruisin’ the Conejo, offering rides from 21 mile to a 101 mile route that follows last year’s final leg of the Tour of California. The ride begins at the Skyworks parking lot located at 2504 W. Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks (aka Newbury Park);register online through April 28th.

The Dana Point Grand Prix will be held on Sunday, May 1st, featuring a .8 mile criterium; the start/finish will be located at the intersection of PCH and Del Prado in Dana Point.

If you can’t make it to Dana Point, don’t miss the May edition of the LACBC’s Sunday Funday Rides, with a tour of historic Northwest and Northeast L.A.; riders assemble at the Echo Park Boathouse at 9:30 am on May 1st.

Also on Sunday, May 1st, the Tour de Cure Ship to Shore rolls across the Vincent Thomas and Gerald Desmond bridges, starting from the Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway in Long Beach. Routes range from 8 to 100 miles, as well as an 11-mile route ending with a harbor cruise back to the starting point; in addition to the entry fee, riders are required to raise a minimum $150 in donations to benefit the American Diabetes Association. Thanks to GVDub for the reminder

Monday, May 2nd, Glendale Safe and Healthy Streets is sponsoring a free Bicycle Commuter Tips Workshop from 7 to 8:30 pm in the Sycamore Room of the Pacific Park Community Center, 501 S. Pacific Ave in Glendale. Topics include planning your route, what to do with work clothes, how to carry things and basic gear.

The BPIT (Bicycle Plan Implementation Team) will conduct its next monthly meeting at 2 pm on Tuesday, May 3rd in room 721 of the Downtown City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street.

Wednesday, May 4th, Glendale Transportation Management Associates and the LACBC team to host a free lunchtime Pre Bike to Work Expo at the courtyard between 400 and 450 North Brand Boulevard, from 11:30 am to 1 pm.

The Antelope Valley Conservancy sponsors the 16th Annual Antelope Valley Ride on Saturday, May 7th with rides of 20, 30 and 60 miles; check-in begins at 7 am at George Lane Park, 5520 West Avenue L-8 in Quartz Hill.

Also on Saturday, May 7th, celebrate the intersection of art, the environment and bicycling at the 20th Anniversary Santa Monica Fest, offering free admission, parking and bike valet. A special bike zone includes bike repair and maintenance advice from the Bikerowave, a Bike Learning Area sponsored by the City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development, a Bike Exhibition with Santa Monica Spoke and a Ticket to Ride from the Santa Monica Museum of Art. It takes place from 11 am to 6 pm at Cloverfield Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd in Santa Monica; free bike valet at 25th and Ocean Park.

Meet the members of Team HTC-Highroad before they compete in the Amgen Tour of California when Cynergy Cycles sponsors An Evening in Fast Company on Monday, May 9th from 6 to 10 pm to benefit the Right to Play organization. Your $100 donation includes dinner, drinks, raffle and gift card; 2300 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica.

Also on Monday, May 9nd, Glendale Safe and Healthy Streets sponsors a free Basic Bike Repair Workshop from 7 to 8:30 pm in the Auditorium of the Glendale Central Library, 501 S. Pacific Ave in Glendale. Topics include planning your route, what to do with work clothes, how to carry things and basic gear.

On Thursday, May 12th, there will be a party  to benefit the California Bicycle Coalition and preview the new state-of-the-art Bike Stations at Bikestation Long Beach, 211 E. 1st Street at the Promenade in Long Beach, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

The annual Long Beach Bicycle Festival takes place on Friday, May 13th and Saturday, May 14th in Downtown Long Beach. The festivities include the Tour of Long Beach on Saturday, May 14th with rides of 4, 31 and 61 miles to benefit Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach.

Saturday, May 14th, Streetsblog LA will host a pre-Bike Week Westside Ride to the Venice Pier starting at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 11555 National Blvd, at 10:30 am.

Also on Saturday, May 14th Glendale Safe and Healthy Streets is sponsoring a free 12-mile Ice Cream Ride as part of the city’s Bike Month, beginning and ending at the Colina Drive entrance to Verdugo Park. Riders meet at 1 pm and set off at 1:30; minors must be accompanied by adults, and participants should bring money to purchase ice cream.

For riders unafraid to venture behind the Orange Curtain, Bike Newport Beach is sponsoring a Family Fun Ride on Sunday, May 15th beginning at 8 am at the Oasis Senior Center, 801 Narcissus Avenue in Corona del Mar.

Also on Sunday, May 15th, the Pasadena Marathon takes to the streets of the City of Roses, including a 5:45 am bike tour before the runners hit the pavement. Riders and runners start and finish at Pasadena City College, 1570 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91106; thanks to Louie for the heads-up.

L.A.’s 17th annual Bike Week takes place May 16th through the 20th, with an emphasis on bike safety education, and events throughout the city.

  • Bike Week opens with an 8:30 am Monday, May 16th Kick-Off Event at the North Hollywood Metro Station
  • This year’s Blessing of the Bicycles will take place from 8 to 9:30 am on Tuesday, May 17th at Downtown’s Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Street.
  • Ride with other cyclists through the streets of Downtown on Wednesday, May 18th; riders meet at 8 am at Union Station on Alameda Street
  • Bike to Work Day takes place on Thursday, May 19th, with morning pit stops throughout the greater Los Angeles Area, as well as a handful of Bike from Work happy hours; Metro is also looking for Bike Buddies to guide inexperienced cyclists to work.
  • Friday, May 19th is Bike to School Day

CICLE will celebrate Pasadena’s Bike Week with two special events:

  • Monday, May 16th is Bike Film Night with Streetsblog LA joining CICLE to present a series of Streetfilms and discuss how those lessons can be applied to Southland streets; 6:30 P.M. at Boston Court Performing Arts Center, 70 North Mentor Avenue, Pasadena.
  • The Mayor’s Ride & Family Night will take place on Tuesday, May 17th from 5:30 to 8 pm at Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. Garfield; join with Pasadena mayor Bill Bogaard and other local officials at a family-friendly event to promote bicycle as a safe and sustainable transportation alternative.

The San Diego Century ride takes place on Saturday, May 21st with rides of 37, 66 or 103 miles, starting in Encinitas, along with free admission to an expo featuring sports, local cuisine and live music.

L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride rolls on Sunday, June 5th with the 11th Annual River Ride; advance registration is open now. Volunteers are needed now and on the day of the ride, email RRvolunteer@la-bike.org for more info and to sign up.

If you can make it up to Sacramento on Sunday, June 12th, Ride4Matt is sponsoring a charity ride to benefit Matthew Wietrick, who was seriously injured while riding last February. Choose from routes of 10, 35 and 70 miles, with a $7 BBQ lunch after the ride; donations gratefully accepted.

Flying Pigeon Bike Shop will host a fundraising bike ride to benefit Streetsblog LA on Friday, June 17th, beginning and ending at Flying Pigeon, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park; ride meets at 6 pm, with party to follow at 8 pm.

The next two CicLAvias will take place on July 10th and October 9th; anyone who was at the one last Sunday probably doesn’t need a reminder to mark their calendars.

Tuesday, August 30th, Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse will host a benefit night for Streetsblog LA; 5% of all food and drink purchases will benefit Streetsblog; 2911 Main Street.

And mark your calendar for the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat on October 9th, unless you happen to be an observant Jew, since it falls on Yom Kippur this year.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,
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