Update: 40-something cyclist killed in DTLA; second rider to die on Alameda Street in the last six months

August 4, 2014 / / 12 comments

More bad news, this time from Downtown Los Angeles.

According to a press release from the LAPD, the victim, identified only as a man in his early 40s, was hit and killed by a flatbed tractor trailer on Alameda just south of 20th Street at 1:10 pm Monday.

The police report says the cyclist was riding with traffic on southbound Alameda Street when he was sideswiped by the driver; he fell into the roadway, where he was run over by the truck’s rear wheels.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators; he was not suspected of being under the influence. Several vehicles initially stopped at the scene, but the drivers did not remain to talk to police.

According to Carlos Morales of the Eastside Bike Club, witnesses said the victim, who was riding a cruiser bike, was hugging the curb when the driver attempted to squeeze past in the same lane.

And clearly, failed.

Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD Central Traffic Division Detectives at 213/833-3713 or Detective Felix Padilla at 213/486-0753. You can also call the Central Traffic Division Watch Commander at 213/486-8344.

This is the 57th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 23rd in Los Angeles County. It’s also the eighth bike death in the City of Los Angeles since the first of the year, and the second cycling fatality on Alameda Street since February of this year.

Update: The Long Beach Post has identified the victim as 42-year old Long Beach resident Jarone Bartee; thanks to Danny Gamboa for the link. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jarone Bartee and his family. 

Thanks to Carlos Morales of the Eastside Bike Club for the heads-up.

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

Bike rider killed in Orange; OC bike deaths match total for all of last year

August 4, 2014 / / 2 comments

Bad news from Orange County, with very few details.

According to the Orange County Coroner’s office, a male bike rider was hit by a car at the intersection of N Glassell Street and E Chestnut Ave in the City of Orange last Friday morning.

The collision occurred at 8:36 am; he was transported to UCI Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead 45 minutes later.

No other details are available at this time. The Coroner’s report doesn’t give an age or city of residence for the victim, which suggests they haven’t been able to identify him yet — another reminder to always carry ID whenever you ride.

This is the 56th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 12th in Orange County, which matches the total in the county for all of last year.

And it’s the second cycling fatality in the City of Orange this year, following the death of Joseph Robinson on Santiago Canyon Road in February.

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

Thanks to James Johnson of the Johnson Attorneys Group for the heads-up.

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

Morning Links: Cyclist in critical condition after Koreatown shooting; was Marco Pantini murdered?

August 3, 2014 / / 2 comments

A Koreatown bike rider is in critical condition after being shot three times on Sunday.

According to the Daily News, the victim, identified only as a man around 45 years old, was riding at the intersection of Leeward and Westmoreland Avenues when he was attacked by two suspects at 1:15 am. At last report, he was undergoing surgery at California Hospital.

No word on a motive for the shooting.

However, this one hits a little close to home, since it’s just a block off the 7th Street bike lanes I, and many other bike riders, use to ride to and from Downtown.

……..

Local

Flying Pigeon reminds us that Cedillo rhymes with Armadillo — and not in a good way — while Orange20 notes that a certain councilmember receives almost all his support from outside the district.

Rick Risemberg looks at a useless, and not surprisingly, unused bike rack at his local drugstore.

LA Bike Trains founder Nona Varnado looks forward to ‘cross season.

Redondo Beach looks forward to removing a wall that has long been a major choke point on the south end of the Strand as part of a larger bike and pedestrian friendly improvement plan for the beachfront.

 

State

The San Diego City Council forms the city’s first Bicycle Advisory Committee a dozen years after it was first proposed.

Riders are forced to abandon the 100 mile Tour de Big Bear after a thunderstorm leaves two dozen of the nearly 2,000 cyclists suffering from hypothermia.

 

National

Now you, too, can be the part owner of a women’s pro cycling team.

Reno sees a rise in bike thefts in advance of bike-centric Burning Man.

In California, AAA fights bike safety legislation and separated bikeways on South Figueroa; in Seattle they sponsor benefit bike rides.

Missouri bike riders rally to protest harassment in the wake of a local mayor who allegedly ran a cyclist off the road. Meanwhile, a St. Louis blogger looks at the attitudes that fuel harassment.

Gothamist offers a beginners guide to biking the bloodthirsty streets — their word, not mine — of the Big Apple, while Well+Good offers seven suggestions for neophyte riders in the city.

Gulfport MS police are using GPS-enable bait bikes to combat a rise in bike theft.

 

International

Italian authorities open an investigation into claims that pro cycling legend Marco Pantani was murdered by being forced to drink liquid cocaine.

Now you can buy the bike Pippa rode during RAAM for a mere £20,000; I don’t care whose ass was on it, the equivalent of $34,000 is a lot for a bike.

A study from the University of Duh shows people who live near car-free paths tend to bike and walk more.

Marianne Vos wins the Giro. No, not that Giro.

 

Finally…

German police rescue an 83-year old man from the middle of a busy high-speed highway; he was attempting to push his bike to neighboring Luxembourg to make a large bank withdrawal. And a Brit actress is pulled offstage minutes before curtain time after she was reportedly involved in a crash with a young bike rider.

 

Category: Morning Links, Violence & Crime /

Weekend Links: A handful of bike events, coffee and bikes go together, and if you can’t bike jack a friend…?

August 2, 2014 / / Comments Off on Weekend Links: A handful of bike events, coffee and bikes go together, and if you can’t bike jack a friend…?

First up, a quick update on this week’s bike events:

Long Beach bicyclists can enjoy live music and a screening of Moonrise Kingdom at this year’s Bicycle Drive-In on Saturday.

Update: Somehow, I left off the LACBC’s monthly Sunday Funday ride, which rolls through Lakewood with a family ride this Sunday. 

Somehow, I missed Brooke Shields at last year’s Brentwood Grand Prix; maybe she’ll take part in the family friendly Expo Line ride connected with this year’s race on Sunday.

Culver City Walk & Rollers hosts a Family Bike Ride on Sunday.

The Eastside Bike Club hosts a family friendly ride for National Night Out on Tuesday.

The Levi’s Commuter bike pop-up shop opens in Downtown LA on Tuesday.

……..

Turns out coffee and cycling really do go together. A little caffeine can boost your performance — without cheating. However, too much can be a bad thing.

……..

Local

USC students consider how improving the city for bicycling could make LA more livable.

Santa Monica’s City Manager, who oversaw the city’s rise to become a local leader in bike friendliness, will retire in January.

Decent bike lanes could solve a lot of problems in Glendale.

 

State

After a judge dismissed a cyclist’s ticket for not licensing his bike on constitutional grounds, bike licenses could be on their way out in Santa Ana.

A Laguna Beach bike rider suggests its our own fault if a bike rider gets hit by a car — even though most of the recent OC cycling victims didn’t do a damn thing wrong. And despite his ill-informed proclamation, there are people who can afford cars that choose to bike commute, anyway.

The Desert Sun says it’s time to get a Palm Springs-area bike share rolling.

If you’re going to ride into the back of a parked car, try to make sure it’s not a CHP patrol car.

A 65-year old Bay Area bike rider explains that cycling gear is designed for comfort and protection, not fashion.

The suspect in a San Francisco hit-and-run that injured five people on Monday — including a bike rider who remains in critical condition — now faces 10 felony counts and $350,000 bail.

 

National

Next City offers a brief history of baseless pro-car, anti-bike movements.

A Portland cyclist sues Zipcar after he’s struck by a mattress that flew off the bed of one of their rental trucks.

Still no charges in the death of an Anchorage AK bike rider after 210 days; we can beat that, as it’s been nearly eight months since Milt Olin was killed by a sheriff’s deputy with no word on charges.

A writer for Red Kite Prayer questions the value of painted bike lanes, while a Des Moines letter writer says caving into driver pressure to remove them would be a mistake.

The investigation into that allegedly road raging Missouri mayor has been turned over to outside investigators. Thanks to Michael Eisenberg for the heads-up.

A bike riding doctor for the famed Cleveland Clinic offers tips on becoming a cyclist.

The Times looks at Richmond Virginia in advance of next year’s UCI Road World Championships.

 

International

A writer for London’s Telegraph says what’s stopping women riders is a lack of confidence.

An LA Times writer rides a rental bike through France’s Loire Valley.

Norwegian police charge an 82-year old man with having a bomb on his bike; turns out it was the battery pack on his homemade e-bike.

An Indian cyclist with an artificial leg accepts a challenge to ride across the world’s highest drivable road.

 

Finally…

In a case of real street justice, three Michigan judges help reclaim the bike stolen from one of them while he signed a search warrant a few days earlier. Missoula MT residents are up in arms over a planned local equivalent to the World Naked Bike Ride, with one father comparing it to allowing pornography in the schools.

And it’s bad enough to be bike jacked by a stranger, let alone someone you know; thanks to Bike SGV for the link.

 

Category: Bike Events, Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Morning Links: Judge rules police can’t search your bike without permission, and Timbuk2 opens on Abbot Kinney

July 31, 2014 / / 3 comments

In an important affirmation of cyclists’ rights, an Orange County judge rules police don’t have a right to turn your bike over without permission or probable cause.

Homeless rights advocate Igmar Rodas was charged with violating Santa Ana’s bike licensing requirement after he was stopped for riding on the sidewalk, which is banned in the city. Police then turned his bike over to look for a license sticker; when they didn’t find it, they ticketed Rodas for sidewalk riding and not having a valid bike license.

However, the judge ruled that the act of overturning the bike constituted an illegal search, which is banned by the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution.

The case serves as a reminder that police may legally ask for identification when they stop you for a moving violation while you’re on your bike.

But unless they have probable cause to suspect you’re breaking the law — such as seeing you attempt to hide a weapon or drugs, for instance — they can’t search you, your bike or your possessions without your permission, any more than they can search your car if you get stopped for speeding.

Nor can they take any action against you for refusing permission for a search, which is your right under the law.

……..

Timbuk2 signHad a great visit with the friendly and knowledgeable folks at the new Timbuk2 store on Abbot Kinney in Venice Thursday afternoon.

I’ll have a more detailed report later.

But if you’re in the area, stop in and say hi and check out the full line of Timbuk2 messenger bags, backpacks and suit cases — even a smartly designed women’s pannier that converts to a shoulder bag.

Not to mention what promises to be LA’s first bike share program, with free loaner bikes available on a first-come, first-serve basis starting this September. Yes, free.

And mark your calendar for their official Grand Opening ceremony August 16th and 17th.

They’re going to be a great addition to the LA bike scene.

……..

Local

Streetsblog and LA Walks want your help to win funding for a Vision Zero plan for the City of Angels. They’ve got my vote.

Levi’s Commuter pop-up store opens in DTLA next week.

Culver City Walk & Rollers hosts a Family Ride this Sunday.

A proposed pipeline could result in the final link in San Gabriel Valley’s Emerald Necklace bikeway system.

Carson receives a $1.26 million grant for a new bike/pedestrian path.

 

State

A planning and development website offers a technical look at what comes next when California moves away from using Level of Service to measure traffic flow.

A pair of letter writers call for action to improve safety for Laguna Beach bike riders.

A cyclist is moderately injured in an Anaheim collision.

The Big Bear Cycling Festival runs through this Sunday.

A collision survivor says Sacramento is pretty coldhearted when it comes to justice for homeless cyclists hit by cars.

 

National

The Bike League offers advice on how to create a safe and inclusive learning environment from LA bike advocate and Licensed Cycling Instructor Maria Sipin.

A writer for the Daily Beast offers an open apology to Greg LeMond for pushing the Armstrong lie.

New $1,295 aerial drone promises to follow your rides with an airborne GoPro camera.

A Texas town proposes turning a smuggling path into a bike trail.

Shockingly, a Florida driver is fined just $200 for killing a cyclist — despite 29 traffic violations.

 

International

A Brit cyclist says he was almost run down by a texting truck driver; unfortunately, the video of the incident has been removed.

UK driver posts video of bad bike behavior online after a rider damages his car while weaving through traffic.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon rides a bike to promote urban cycling.

 

Finally…

For reasons known only to him, stunt cyclist Danny MacAskill jumps Playmates at the Playboy Mansion. And a St. Louis writer says, wisely, if a cyclist does something you don’t like, don’t honk or yell; just stay calm, because the streets belong to all of us.

 

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

Morning Links: LA Streets officially suck, road raging Missouri mayor, and Canadian cyclist shot during race

July 30, 2014 / / 3 comments

Camelbak Podium IceI’m planning a review of the new Camelbak Podium Ice water bottle soon.

But here’s a short advance preview.

If you’re anywhere near a bike shop this weekend, stop in a buy one.

Best. Water. Bottle. Ever.

Seriously.

……..

Local

City Controller Ron Galperin explains why so many of LA’s streets suck.

Downtown’s California Plaza offers a free screening of the great bike-centric Triplets of Bellville this Friday, complete with live score and complementary bike valet.

Orange 20 offers a primer on LA’s least effective form of bicycling infrastructure.

A Glendale couple will ride 163 miles through Massachusetts to raise funds for a cancer research center.

Walk Bike Glendale hosts an Art Box Walk this Saturday.

 

State

As if bike-hating drivers aren’t bad enough. A Riverside rider is attacked by a German Shepherd that hates bikes, and bites the people on them.

Calbike offers their monthly update on bike advocacy on the state level.

Meanwhile, a new bill backed by Calbike seeks to modernize California’s outdated bike lane laws.

 

National

The Bike League introduces the new manager of their Women Bike program.

Bicycling talks with USC and Pepperdine grad Elysa Walk about her role with bike manufacturer Giant in making bicycling more accessible for everyone.

A cyclist says a road raging Missouri mayor yelled at him to get off the road before intentionally running into him; needless to say, the mayor tells a much different story. Thanks to Danny Gamboa for the heads-up.

No bias here, as the NYPD concludes no investigation is necessary before determining a bus vs bike collision was just an accident, but somehow, the rider’s fault.

Baltimore claims to be the birthplace of US bicycling.

Nice report from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia demonstrating once again bikes really are good for business. Would someone please tell Gil Cedillo, Paul Koretz and Tom LaBonge?

 

International

Tragic end to a heroic act, as an 11-year old Canadian bike rider pushes a friend out of the way before he’s killed by a drunk driver.

A British Columbia cyclist uses his own pants as a tourniquet after he’s shot while competing in an overnight race.

The dark side of Britain’s post Olympic biking boom.

A former UK government minister says bikeways must be redesigned with separate lanes for fast cyclists and slower riders who want to “pootle.” Personally, I don’t even know how to pootle, and not sure I’d want to in public.

Aussie police look for a toothless man who’s been sabotaging Queensland bike trails. Maybe he blames a bike rider for knocking his teeth out.

 

Finally…

Cyclists are up in arms after a British rental car company tells tourists to watch out for the country’s out of control cyclists. And after a Scottish rider has his bike stolen, he gets it back in much better condition.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , ,
« Older Entries   Recent Entries »
Wordpress Theme by ThemeZee