My apologies.
I thought I was finally getting over Covid, but things took a concerning turn for the worse on Sunday. Hopefully a good night’s sleep will help, and we’ll be back tomorrow to play catch up.
Ebike rider killed by heartless hit-and-run driver in San Diego’s Claremont Mesa East neighborhood early Saturday
Once again, someone on a bicycle has been killed by a heartless hit-and-run driver.
This time in San Diego.
According to multiple, nearly identical stories, a 36-year old man was riding an ebike on the 6900 block of Balboa Ave, in the city’s Claremont Mesa East neighborhood, when he was struck by a driver around 1:30 am.
Police report the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was riding in the westbound bike lane when he veered left for some unknown reason and was hit by the westbound motorist, who continued without stopping.
He died shortly after being taken to a local hospital.
Video from the scene shows damaged car parts and a Lectric ped-assist bicycle lying in the center of the three through traffic lanes.
The suspect vehicle is described as light-colored 2016-2022 Mercedes Benz E-Class sedan, possibly gray, with likely front-end damage including missing grill and other front-end body parts.
It’s not clear if there was a witness to the crash, or if investigators pieced events together from evidence found following the crash.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Traffic Division of the San Diego Police Department at 858/495-7800, or Crime Stoppers at 888/580-8477.
This was at least the 11th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
This is also the fourth SoCal bike rider killed by a hit-and-run driver since the first of the year.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: bicycling fatality, Claremont Mesa East, hit-and-run, San Diego
LA officials vote against the will of LA voters on Vermont BRT project; LA 50 wants your input; and Bike Oven art crawl
Day 87 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
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So let’s get this straight.
The Metro Board unanimously approved plans for the Vermont Transit Corridor bus rapid transit project — but without the bike lanes required by law under voter-approved Measure HLA.
Founder and CEO of Streets for All, Michael Schneider, told LAist in a statement that Metro ignored “the law and will of the voters” by voting to move forward with the design of the project without bike lanes…
The disagreement here isn’t about the bus lanes themselves — Schneider and other transportation advocates in L.A. agree that improvements to transit on the corridor are needed.
But the question is whether Metro, a countywide transportation agency, is required to comply with Measure HLA, a city-level initiative.
Metro doesn’t think so, and it has threatened legal action if it is forced to comply.
To repeat, it’s not a question of whether the bike lanes called that are called for in the city mobility plan are required under HLA, which applies to all but the most minor street resurfacing projects on Los Angeles city streets.
But rather, whether the city ordinance applies to a county agency.
Proponents of HLA — myself included — say it does.
Metro takes the contrarian stand, however, arguing that it only applies to work actually done by the city, rather than projects done by outside agencies on the city’s behalf.
Although a better question might be why Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and CD6 Councilmember Imelda Padilla voted against a city ordinance that they are legally required to implement.
And whether by doing so, they violated their obligations as officials elected to represent the City of Los Angeles, which is why they are on the board in the first place.
Because the people who put them there are the same ones who voted overwhelmingly to approve the measure.
And the same ones they will face when they run for re-election.
Correction: I’m told Karen Bass did not vote against HLA, if only because she missed the meeting. Blame Padilla, CD5 Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, and LA representative Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker.
Rendering of Vermont BRT project, sans HLA mandated bike lanes.
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LA 50 wants your input on who should get the latest round of LA 50 Challenge Grants.
Although they don’t apparently trust us to vote directly on the recipients anymore, but rather just express opinions that will apparently influence their choices.
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The Bike Oven co-op is hosting an art ride on North Figueroa tomorrow night.
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Local
Pasadena police with conduct a bicycle and pedestrian safety operation today, focusing on driver behaviors that endanger bicyclists and pedestrians — although they are legally required to enforce the law equally, whether it’s someone on four wheels, two wheels or two feet who commits the violation. As usual, ride to the letter of the law until you cross the city limit lines, so you’re not the one who gets written up.
State
Streetsblog’s Damien Newton says the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres may be behind the Dodgers in the standings, but are miles ahead of LA in providing bike and transit access to their home stadiums. Okay, so maybe I was the one who threw in a little shade about the standings.
Laguna Beach becomes the latest Orange County city to succumb to the spreading ebike panic, adopting an ordinance restricting the speed and use of ebikes in the city. Although once again apparently failing to distinguish between ped-assist bicycles and throttle-controlled electric motorbikes.
Sausalito debates whether to accept a grant for a “controversial” safety project that would require bike lanes in each direction on a dangerous stretch with no crosswalks, where bicycles and cars are forced to share a single lane in each direction, and drivers use the center turn lane for free parking.
Sad news from Woodland, where a man in his 50s was killed when he was run down by a man driving a tractor, while riding in a bike lane on a rural road outside the Sacramento suburb. Although thee’s no word on why the driver was in the bike lane, and why he somehow failed to see the victim despite operating a slow-moving vehicle. And no, tractors aren’t allowed in bike lanes, any more than any other motor vehicle.
National
Blogger Craig Medred takes a deep dive into how the law protects dangerous drivers, when most fatal crashes are just written off as “oopsies.”
Grist considers who will be hurt most by Trump’s freeze on funding for bike lanes and other pedestrian safety projects. That’s easy — everyone. Because as the story says, “infrastructure that prioritizes safety over speed…are proven solutions that protect everyone.”
Nice change in Portland, where the Downtown Neighborhood Association wants fewer traffic lanes, instead of demanding more.
Residents of Chicago’s predominantly Latino Southwest Side debate whether protected bike lanes will improve safety, or lead to gentrification. Even though the bike lanes would protect low-income workers and immigrants who may not own a car, and rely on a bike to get to work, school or other destinations.
In New York City bike-related violence, a food delivery worker was stabbed in the back with a screwdriver when he attempted to defend his bike from thieves trying to take it, and pair of “crazed” men used their own bicycles to beat another man senseless on New York’s Upper East Side.
International
British parliamentarians called for urgent reform of the country’s Cycle to Work program by opening the bike voucher system to low-income workers, freelancers and retirees. Because salaried white collar workers aren’t the only ones who could benefit from biking rather than driving.
Momentum says stop bending over, and ride upright on one of these Dutch-style bikes, instead. Personally, I’ll take the Pashley, Guv’nor.
An Indigenous man riding an ebike in a Sydney, Australia suburb was killed when a police sergeant somehow ran him down with his patrol car while attempting to make a traffic stop; he was found to have $10,000 in cash and three ounces of meth on him after he was killed. Which does not justify the cop using lethal force to make the stop unless the victim somehow threatened him — even if the cop knew or suspected he was dealing drugs.
Competitive Cycling
Former Dutch pro Laurens ten Dam says he slept under the stars surrounded by cows and grizzly bears with pepper spray tucked under his pillow last year during the 3,000-mile Tour Divide race from Canada to Mexico.
Finally….
Take a stand on apartment bike storage, or turn your bike into an objet d’art. Seriously, you haven’t lived until you’ve ridden a fat bike across the Gobi Desert in the middle of winter.
And forget those flammable lithium-ion batteries, and fuel your bike with the stuff that blew up the Hindenburg instead.
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin.
Category: Morning Links / Tags: art ride, bicycing, Bike Oven, Bus Rapid Transit, Imelda Padilla, Karen Bass, LA Metro, LA50 Challenge Grants, Los Angeles, Measure HLA, North Figueroa, Vermont Ave
Help research LA & SF bike commutes, why Vermont Ave is an HLA flashpoint, and zombie street widening in DTLA
Day 86 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
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Well, this is fun.
Evidently, Covid’s so nice I’m doing it twice.
Which puts me in the less than 3% of people who get a rebound infection, according to my pharmacist.
Yay, me.
At least I’ve been able to work through it this time. So let’s get on with it.
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A French Fulbright scholar working in the US to research bicycle commutes in Los Angeles and San Francisco wants your help with a brief survey on your bike commuting habits.
So take a few minutes to give him your honest answers. Because this is the kind of actual scientific research that’s so out of favor in government circles these days.
Survey: Long-distance (over 3 miles) bike commutes in LA
Hello everyone,
Are you a bike commuter? Do you commute by bike or electric bike and cover long distances (over 3 miles) as part of your daily mobility? Please complete this brief survey.
Conducted as part of an academic research project on sustainability and initiated by a French researcher in environmental social sciences (and in California for 6 months), this questionnaire will help better understand the practices, obstacles, levers and motivations of active mobility in LA.
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Pasadena public radio station and website LAist examines Metro’s “transformational” bus rapid transit on Vermont Ave, and why it’s become a flashpoint over Measure HLA.
According to the site,
The Vermont Transit Corridor project will add dedicated side-running bus lanes and 13 stations along a more than 12-mile-long stretch of the busy corridor. It’s slated to be up and running by the 2028 summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The project will also include infrastructure upgrades that help with pedestrian accessibility and decrease the distance people have to walk to get to bus stops.
But what it doesn’t include, and what’s required under HLA, is bus lanes.
The question is whether the city ordinance that was overwhelmingly passed by voters applies to Metro, which is a county transportation agency.
Metro has already threatened to sue if they’re required to comply with the ordinance.
(Streets For All founder Michael) Schneider said the argument isn’t as simple as saying Metro doesn’t have to comply with Measure HLA because it isn’t a city entity.
“The city permits Metro’s work,” Schneider said. “They contribute financially to Metro’s work. City planners sign off on Metro’s work, so it’s sort of a technicality who’s leading the project.”
Schneider also said public funds would be wasted if the bike and bus lanes don’t go in at the same time.
It’s worth reading the full article, which offers a detailed primer on the project, as well as the ongoing debate.
Then consider tuning in for the livestream of today’s 10 am Metro board meeting where a vote is scheduled to approve the Vermont project. Or show up in person at Metro HQ in DTLA to support it.
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Call it Revenge of the Living Dead.
According to LA Streetsblog, “zombie” road widening is still occurring in Los Angeles, even though that requirement would be illegal today.
But a 54-story apartment building at Olympic and Hill that was already under construction when the rules changed. And so they were required to add a 12-foot traffic lane to previously 60-foot wide Olympic Blvd, which exceeds the road width called for under the city mobility plan.
But that’s okay, because they made up for it by building substandard width sidewalks, too.
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Streets For All’s next virtual happy hour will take place on Wednesday, April 9th, featuring Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Randall Winston.
Maybe I’ll actually be over this damn Covid by then.
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Congratulations to Virginia on passing the nation’s first law allowing judges to order drivers to install intelligent speed limitation tech, restricting them to going no faster than the posted speed limit.
A similar bill is being considered in the California legislature, if it can get past Gov. Newsom’s veto pen.
https://bsky.app/profile/fam4safestreets.bsky.social/post/3ll7vsuzaok2q
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
Advocates are complaining about a “serious downgrade” at a popular roundabout in Norwich, England, leaving no safe route to the local hospital for bicyclists and pedestrians. Which could unironically lead to more of both going there.
No bias here. A Scottish satirist is accused of spreading bike hate with a parody take on the poster for the Tour de France Edinburgh depart, replacing “France” with…well, read it yourself.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
Neighbors are mourning the death of a 49-year old Brooklyn man, who was killed in a collision with an ebike rider last week. And yes, the bike rider stuck around after the crash.
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Local
Children from across Los Angeles received new adaptive bicycles to mark World Down Syndrome Day last Friday.
Glendale is moving forward with the city’s pilot speed cam program, asking for your input on where the cameras should go. Which is a hell of a lot more than Los Angeles has done so far.
State
Orange County will begin to enforce new ebike regulations next month, which are targeted mostly at more powerful electric motorbikes, rather than slower ped-assist bicycles.
The San Diego Union-Tribune examines strategies to get people to actually act more sustainably, such as peer pressure, role models and rewards, financial and otherwise. You know, like riding a bike instead of driving.
San Francisco advocates are calling for a “no-brainer” protected bike lane on Oak Street along the Panhandle. Problem is, too often the “no-brainers” seem to be ones in charge.
National
Seattle Bike Blog says a proposed ebike tax would “be awful” for Washington’s struggling bike shops, particularly in the face of Trump’s on-again, off-again, on-again-again tariffs.
New Mexico has passed the full Idaho Stop Law, allowing bicyclists to treat stop signs as yields, and proceed through red lights after stopping when safe to do so. Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Stop As Yield laws twice, apparently believing there’s something special about California that means what’s been proven to improve safety other places somehow won’t work here.
New York advocates are making an urgent call for better street safety after a 57-year old man was killed riding a bike in the Bronx over the weekend, along with a pedestrian in Brooklyn.
The best places to ride a bike in Athens, Georgia, for your next visit to the land of REM, The B-52’s and other assorted musical dinosaurs.
International
Bike Radar questions why there’s been so little innovation under your feet, as the first new pedal design in four decades hits the market.
Life is cheap in Ontario, Canada, where a 35-year old man will spend a whole 15 months behind bars for the drunken hit-and-run death of a 79-year old bike-riding woman, plus another two months for a second crash three weeks later; evidently, his show of remorse and promises to change overcame a long history of alcohol addiction and a six-year criminal history in the judge’s mind.
Forget “Mind the gap.” Mind the new rules banning ebikes from the Tube and other London train lines, unless you’re riding a foldie.
Competitive Cycling
Triple Tour de France champ Tadej Pogačar is preparing to tackle the infamous cobbles Paris-Roubaix, aka the Hell of the North, for the first time; he may be riding a sparking new model of Colnago.
Finally….
Your next ebike could be a Rivian — yes, the e-truck maker. Your next bicycle pump could be electric, even if you don’t have an electric bike. Or truck.
And your toddler’s next balance bike could be made from eco-friendly, sustainable carbon fiber.
No, really.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to wrap myself in a blanket, watch the Dodgers home opener, and try not to cough myself to death.
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin.
15-year old ebike rider busted for DUI, HLA foot-dragging means worsening LA streets, and trial date for killer Vegas teens
Day 85 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
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Teenaged ebike riders are in the news once again.
And once again, for not-so-good reasons.
Like the 15-year old boy who was busted for DUI after crashing his ebike into a parked car in Newhall Monday night, suffering minor injuries and major problems.
Or the 16-year old ebike rider who was hospitalized after getting hit head-on by a driver while riding salmon in Rancho Cucamonga Tuesday morning.
Although, as always these days, the question is whether these scofflaw victims, who haven’t been publicly identified, were riding electric motorbikes or ped-assist bicycles.
Because police reports and the press don’t seem to be able to distinguish between them.
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According to Streetsblog’s Joe Linton, the city’s foot dragging on implementing Measure HLA is resulting on worsening conditions on some of the streets that had been scheduled for repaving.
That’s even though pavement cracks and pot holes can pose a significant risk to bike riders, especially after dark when they can be almost impossible to see.
And even though Los Angeles has already paid out large settlements for bike riders seriously injured by crumbling pavement.
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Jesus Ayala and Jzamir Keys, the two formerly teenage suspects accused of recording themselves laughing as they intentionally ran down and killed former Bell police chief Andreas Probst as he rode a bike in Las Vegas, are now scheduled to go on trial November 3rd.
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This is what the Vermont Corridor could look like, if Metro continues to refuse to comply with Measure HLA, which requires bike lanes, as well.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
He gets it. Former Top Gear host James May calls out the “anti-cycling rage” of London’s Telegraph newspaper, saying the “anti-cycling opposition out there ‘smacks of sheer bloody-mindedness.'”
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Local
Streetsblog takes a look at the newly opened Big Dalton Bike Path, nee Vincent Community Bikeway, which traverses three-miles through Irwindale, Covina, Azusa and unincorporated points in between, and is part of a planned 130-mile bike network through the San Gabriel Valley.
The manager of the Velo Pasadena bike shop says the shop has been burglarized “constantly” since the start of the pandemic, losing a total of over a hundred grand worth of bicycles — including three break-ins in just the past three months.
State
The Triathlon Club of San Diego talks with BikinginLA sponsor, Oceanside bike lawyer and tri supporter Richard Duquette.
La Mesa is starting its own ebike incentive program, offering 150 vouchers to people over 18 who live and plan to ride in the city. Let’s just hope they manage to do a better job than California has so far.
After Berkeley gave 56 free ebikes to a group of low-to-moderate income residents, they reported driving less, but also learned how crappy it is to ride there.
Marin County approved an ordinance banning children under 16 from riding Class 2 throttle-controlled ebikes; presumably, Class 1 ped-assist bikes are still okay.
The Sacramento city council was scheduled to vote on approving a quick-build bike lane program for the state capital. Something a certain megalopolis to the south could stand to emulate.
National
A writer for Cycling News says skip the power meter, and use a heart monitor instead — even if it’s ugly and sits on your chain collecting grease. Or better yet, skip them both and just enjoy riding a bike if you don’t race for a living.
A legal website calls out the deadliest and safest states for bicyclists, as well as offering strategies for how to make things safer. Good news and bad news — California didn’t make either list.
Bike riders in Houston protested the removal of concrete armadillos along a formerly protected bike lane; they had intended to form a human bike lane, but moved to the sidewalk when police threatened them with criminal sanctions. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.
You’ve got to be kidding. An Illinois county board member was cited for a lousy crosswalk violation, despite leaving the scene after hitting a little kid riding a bicycle with the walk signal; she ended up driving herself to the police station, claiming she was confused and didn’t know what to do. Seriously, if you don’t know that you’re supposed to stick around after a crash — especially after hitting a little kid — you shouldn’t be driving. Or in office, for that matter.
New York State will begin an ebike voucher pilot program in Ossining offering up to $1,000, with plans to eventually expand to the greater Hudson River region. Apparently, the rest of the state can keep paying retail. Unless you know a guy with a few that fell off a truck.
International
An English man was left shaken after he tried to recover his bicycle from the young thieves who grabbed it outside a bike shop; he was chased, threatened and beaten, but somehow ended up with his bike.
Researchers in Sweden and Iran have developed a better shock-absorbing material that contracts bilaterally, resulting in bike helmet liners that provide better protection from head injuries; because it’s 3D printed, it can also be custom crafted to fit individual heads.
Forbes says add sunny Morocco to your bike bucket list.
An exploring website says the story of the bike-touring Chinese grandmother calls out the problem of “silver tourism,” as China caters to older tourists, while most Western country’s don’t.
A Kiwi website credits the extensive bike lane network Christchurch built after the city was devastated by a 2011 earthquake for its high rate of bike riding, using the damage as an opportunity to re-envision its streets. Something else a certain SoCal megapolis could learn from after the recent fires.
Competitive Cycling
Belgian police raided the home of a doctor previously “affiliated” with a professional cycling team, after noticing “atypical prescribing behavior” that raised the possibility of doping practices. But the doping era is over, right?
Finally….
Apparently, bike lanes make it hard to visit long-closed libraries. Now you, too, can take your final bike ride after you’re gone.
And if you’re not inclined to walk your bike up an incline, maybe you should be.
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin.
Category: Morning Links / Tags: Andreas Probst, bicycling, bicycling crashes, crumbling streets, DUI, ebikes, electric motorcycles, hit-and-run, Jesus Ayala, Jzamir Keys, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Measure HLA
PCH public workshops back on the table, support bike lanes on Vermont Ave, and pedestrian safety expo next month
Day 84 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
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SoCal’s killer highway is back on the table.
Caltrans has rescheduled the public workshops to consider the PCH Master Plan Feasibility Study to improve safety on the deadly roadway, which remains one of the state’s most popular riding routes, despite a glaring lack of safe infrastructure.
The previously scheduled meetings were postponed due to the Palisades Fire.
Here’s what their press release says.
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FOR THE PCH MASTER PLAN FEASIBILITY STUDY
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the City of Malibu invite the public to the Round Three workshops for the PCH Master Plan Feasibility Study on April 9 (in-person), April 16 (virtual) and May 12 (virtual). The first three public workshops in July 2024 (Round One) gathered input from residents, businesses and other stakeholders to identify safety priorities for the highway. Based on that input, Caltrans held three more workshops on Aug. 28, Sept. 12 and Oct. 23, 2024 (Round Two), focused on presenting and soliciting feedback on design alternatives and other recommendations to improve safety on PCH. Following Round Two, Caltrans developed a draft of the Study that it will present during the upcoming workshops (Round Three). At the Wednesday, April 9, meeting, Caltrans will formally release the Study to the public and begin the 60-day public review period.
The upcoming workshops will also cover two PCH pavement rehabilitation projects in the cities of Santa Monica, Los Angeles and Malibu, which aim to extend the pavement service life and improve ride quality for motorists on PCH from Santa Monica to the Los Angeles/Ventura County line. Community members are invited to participate in these workshops to learn about the latest updates and provide input.
For more information, please visit the project website or e-mail: 07-pchmpfs@publicinput.com.
Click here to register for the April meeting, or here for the May workshop.
Photo from the Caltrans press release.
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Streets For All is calling for support for bike lanes on Vermont Ave at Thursday’s Metro board meeting.
Something that’s required under Measure HLA as part of the city’s mobility plan when the street is re-striped to install bus lanes, even if Metro’s lawyers don’t seem to agree.
On Thursday the Metro board has an item on its agenda (Item 9) to approve the LPA (locally preferred alternative) for the Vermont Bus Rapid Transit Project.
Vermont Ave has more bus riders than any other street in LA County, and we think BRT on this street is one of the highest impact transit projects in the region. We are incredibly supportive of the project.
However, Vermont is also one of the most dangerous streets in LA with nearly 50 people killed in the last decade. Despite this, Metro has aggressively pushed back on implementing Measure HLA‘s required bike lanes as part of the Vermont BRT project.
If the bike lanes don’t go in during this project, when Metro is doing the expensive work (curb ramps, repaving, etc.), then the City of Los Angeles will be fully responsible for implementing them at a later time, entirely on its own dime.
At a time when both road deaths and the City’s budget deficit are at a record high, we cannot afford to not implement the bike lanes as part of this project.
Click the link for tips on how to help.
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LA Public Health is hosting a pedestrian safety expo in Roosevelt Park on Friday, April 11th.
And yes, it matters, because we’re all pedestrians at some point (click here if the tweet/xeet doesn’t embed).
https://twitter.com/heybikela/status/1904350768951673220
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
No bias here. A right-wing group called for a DOGE-style crackdown on “unethical” British bicycling and walking advocacy group Sustrans, and its “taxpayer-funded, deeply unpopular, and undemocratic restrictions on motorists.” Um, sure. Because nothing is more unethical than taking an inch of road space from overly entitled drivers.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
A 49-year old man was killed as he exited his double-parked car and was struck by New York food delivery rider on an ebike who reportedly blew through a stop sign.
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Local
No news is good news, right?
State
San Diego public TV and radio station KBPS examines the city’s new draft Street Design Manual, which calls for narrower lanes and more options for protected bike lanes, but still allows slip lanes and right turns on red.
Downtown Temecula will get a trio of new green bike lanes, replacing the current white-striped lanes to make them more visible.
Sad news from Sacramento, where a 59-year old man was killed when he was struck by a driver while riding his bicycle. And no, ABC10, he did not “collide with” the car, someone driving a car crashed into him — as the story itself says in the second paragraph, contradicting the headline and lede.
National
Around 70 Portlanders rode in support of a Palestinian paracycling team 7,000 miles away.
Denver is releasing the year’s first round of ebike vouchers, offering $450 off a standard ebike or $1,400 for an adaptive ebike. Meanwhile, California has only managed to release a single extremely throttled round of vouchers, limiting it to just a tiny fraction of the demand.
About “100 real-life human beings” turned out for a Chicago bike ride to call for replacing parking spaces with a protected bike lane on an Uptown street.
Untapped New York introduces the bicycling advocates who are keeping up the good fight for better bike infrastructure, despite Trump’s freeze on federal funding.
Philadelphia bike riders are happy to see plans call for a protected bike lane on a bridge over the Schuylkill River, but don’t like the two-way design that doesn’t line up with existing bike lanes on either side.
Speaking of Philly, a bike lane placed in the middle of a neighborhood sidewalk is drawing mixed reactions. So let me simplify this: Sidewalk level bike lanes good, bike lanes in the middle of the sidewalk bad.
International
Momentum offers a beginners guide to getting started with bike commuting.
A new British study shows the safety in numbers hypothesis even applies to e-scooters, finding the presence of e-scooters appears to result in a 20 percent reduction in the risk of bicycling collisions.
Life is cheap in the UK, where a 20-year old man will spend just 13 years behind bars for murdering a 34-year old father-to-be, in what began as an effort to retrieve a stolen ebike, and escalated to a series of threatening emails and roadside arguments before the killer stabbed the victim to death; two other men who were with the killer at the time of the stabbing were arrested, but not charged.
You still have time to make it to Liège, Belgium for Bike Week.
Competitive Cycling
UCI’s Track Cycling League bit the dust, killed by an apparent lack of interest after just five events in four years; it will be replaced by a new Track World Cup.
Double Tour de France champ Jonas Vingegaard is back to gentle training after suffering a concussion earlier this month when he crashed during Paris-Nice.
Thirty-nine-year old Los Angeles-based former pro and current author Phil Gaimon will be honored with the Legends Award at next month’s Redlands Bicycle Classic, a race he won in 2012 and 2015.
Finally….
Start bike commuting, and say goodbye to road rage. Your next ebike could be a boat, or a camper. Or both.
And that feeling when you think you could do a better job of restructuring the government than Elon Musk, and offer your services as a bike-making outsider.
………
Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin.
Category: Morning Links / Tags: bicycling, bike lanes, Caltrans, LA Metro, Los Angeles, Measure HLA, PCH, PCH Feasibility Study, Streets For All, Vermont Ave