Great video captures the magic of CicLAvia, and your Morning Links

It’s not easy to capture the magic of CicLAvia.

But this short video from Maxwell Vann comes pretty close.

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Local

Richard Risemberg enjoys the afterglow of another successful CicLAvia.

Wolfpack Hustle brings back the Civic Center Crit this July.

A new Venice restaurant and bakery plans to deliver bread by bicycle to the local area.

The Ovarian Psychos go on a full moon ride this Tuesday; male-identifying riders need not apply.

Ride the 12th annual Cesar Chavez Pilgrimage with PValley Bike this Saturday.

 

State

A bill under consideration in the state legislature would allow public agencies other than police to provide bike safety classes in public schools. So anyone other than police teaching students bike safety now is breaking the law?

Teams are announced for the two days of women’s racing at this year’s Amgen Tour of California.

The overly named Newport Beach Bicycle Master Plan Oversight Committee agreed to study ways to improve safety on the city’s Back Bay Drive after the Newport Bay Conservancy suggests restricting bike use to improve safety, including making the street one-way for everyone. Needless to say, several cyclists spoke out against the proposal. Thanks to Lois for the heads-up.

Maybe Santa Ana really is committed to becoming bike friendly, as the city will close two miles of Main Street on Sunday, October 12th for Orange County’s first open streets event. It’s patterned after LA’s CicLAvia, which will take place the week before.

The 24th annual Sea Otter Classic kicks off today in Monterey with a small but strong women’s field; unfortunately, I’ll have to miss this one. Just like the other 23.

 

National

Yes, traffic fatalities are falling in the US, yet we continue to fall further behind other countries.

Even the nation’s largest motoring group gets it, as a new AAA study shows that voice activated email features are more distracting than hand-held cell phones.

Seriously? A 68-year old Wisconsin cyclist says I didn’t need any damn bike lanes, so you don’t either.

Something to look forward to as Slaying the Badger prepares to premier at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival; the movie relates the epic battle between teammates Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault in the 1986 Tour de France.

After suffering four flats in three weeks, a Chattanooga cyclist calls on the city to maintain the streets, already.

A South Carolina woman faces charges for beating a bicyclist with a three-foot stick as he rode by. But rather than sidewalk rage, it turns out to be a case of long-delayed post-domestic violence.

Lance names names under oath, but doesn’t name any names we didn’t already know.

 

International

A UK rider uses his bike cam to catch scofflaw and otherwise not-so-smart cyclists.

A Belgian cycling official suggests issuing soccer-style yellow and red cards to enforce infractions in the peloton. Meanwhile, cycling boss Brian Cookson considers allowing bike cams in competition.

In yet another bizarre biking incident, an Aussie cyclist has to call the equivalent of 911 after a pickup driver cuts in front of him, and the collision tosses him into the truck’s bed. Pounding on the cab to get the driver’s attention just startled the man behind the wheel and caused him to keep going, as the rider stood in the back dialing his phone.

A Philippine cyclist calls on malls to stop discriminating against bike riders when he’s forced to park his bike outside in the rain while motorists are allowed to park inside.

The sidewalks of Tokyo may or may not be the place for cyclists.

 

Finally…

If you hit a pedestrian on an off-road trail — or anywhere else, for that matter — stop to make sure they’re okay and exchange contact and insurance information. Yes, failure to do so is hit-and-run, just like it would be if a driver hit you and took off. And yes, your liability coverage should pay for any injuries, assuming you have car insurance.

Morning Links: Settlement in Camp Pendleton bus collision could have far reaching bike benefits

We’ve got another long list of links this morning, so let’s get right to it.

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A settlement has been reached in the bus collision that injured cyclist John Edwards on Camp Pendleton last August.

As you may recall, rider Udo Heinz lost his life in the same collision when a North County Transit District bus rear-ended three cyclists who were riding single-file on the right side of the roadway, exactly where and how they should have been riding; the driver was reportedly distracted at the time of the collision.

Terms of the settlement weren’t announced, but the company that operates the bus line agreed to work with the San Diego Bike Coalition to improve bike safety training for their drivers.

According to Edwards’ attorney, Oceanside-based Richard Duquette, the company claims to be the largest bus line operator in the US. Which means the settlement could have ramifications far beyond Southern California by improving safety for riders throughout the county.

Maybe I should mention Duquette is a competitive cyclist.

Because it would probably take a fellow rider to ensure the settlement that benefits his client also benefits the rest of us.

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Local

The first ever Tour de UCLA celebrates National Public Health Week.

There’s still time to sign up for the LA Circuit Race this weekend near LAX.

Boyle Hieghts Beat looks at everyone’s favorite Eastside feminist cycling brigade.

Sunday’s successful CicLAvia points out the need for better bicycling infrastructure; clearly, there’s a pent-up demand for safe places to ride a bike. Especially with your kids.

Speaking of which, Downtown News calls on everyone to keep pushing for agreement on the My Figueroa plan.

KPCC asks what will it take to encourage people to ditch their cars? Besides making CicLAvia a daily thing.

Work is proceeding on the Expo bikeway.

 

State

Cyclelicious notes California’s proposed bike tax now has a more user friendly name, even if it wouldn’t bring in enough money to cover administrative costs.

Bike Newport Beach reminds us that a bicycle is a necessary part of any earthquake survival kit; works for the coming zombie apocalypse, too.

Santa Ana city officials plan to make it Orange County’s “most friendliest bike city,” which is not the same as bike-friendliest city, is it?

Fullerton’s bike share program expands onto the local CSU campus.

A tragic mystery in Modesto, as a cyclist with minor scrapes rides into a gas station and asks the clerk to call an ambulance, then passes out and later dies of a ruptured spleen before he could tell anyone what happened.

Bay Area bike share expands into the East Bay.

 

National

The Bike League announces a Bicycle Friendly America photo contest.

Seven reasons why bikes are for everyone. Okay, but can we quit denigrating “cyclists” already? Anyone who rides a bike is a cyclist, just as anyone operating a motor vehicle is a motorist. It applies equally to kids with training wheels, los invisibles, bike commuters or spandex-clad weekend warriors. Anything else is trying to force a meaning on the word that it just doesn’t possess.

Bike Portland explains why a woman arrested for intentionally ramming a cyclist — there’s that word again — was released without charges. And yes, you’re legally obligated to stop if you witness a road rage collision, at least in Oregon.

A bike manufacturer in my hometown introduces a reduced road bike for petite riders.

The Missouri legislature votes down a proposed anti-bike funding amendment.

Good interview with Streetsblog founder Aaron Naparstek.

New York police refuse to release impounded bikes for a year and a half. Couldn’t that be considered bike theft?

Now that’s more like it. A Virginia women faces 31 years in prison for killing a cyclist in a drunken hit-and-run; she was three times the legal limit when tested after the wreck.

Hats off to a Carolina 4th grader, who plans to celebrate his 10th birthday by bicycling 200 miles to raise funds for clean water around the world.

Gainsville FL city commissioner is just the latest to demand double taxation for cyclists, who already pay more than their fare share of the roads. Unlike cars, bikes cause virtually no damage to the streets and infrastructure they use, and most streets are paid for through general taxes, not gas taxes. You’d think an elected official would know that.

 

International

London will reduce speed limits to 20 mph. If they can do it, why can’t we — at least on residential streets and populated commercial districts?

Less than a year after a UK rider gave up his dream of becoming a pro cyclist when his heart stopped for 25 minutes, he’s back on his bike and riding 1000 miles through South America for charity.

Now that Lance has fallen, America’s only other Tour de France winner continues his remarkable comeback, becoming an on-air cycling commentator for the Eurosport network.

I want to vote for this guy. A Polish mayor makes a citizens arrest after watching a drunk driver kill a cyclist, calling the driver he struggled with a “murderer.”

Yet another young rider has been impaled on his handlebars, this time in Israel. Clearly, there’s a design flaw that needs to be addressed on children’s bikes; this should never happen, let alone as often as it does.

 

Finally…

In a truly bizarre case, a man escapes from a Miami mental health clinic after jumping into the ocean, then attempts and fails to carjack a driver before bike-jacking a passing bicyclist — then crashes head-on into the car he’d attempted to steal moments earlier.

And Washington state police have to take down photos of 60-plus recovered bicycles when pornographic images somehow get included

 

A double dose of Morning Links for your entertainment and edification.

There’s one advantage to breaking news getting in the way of Monday’s Morning Links. It means you get a double dose to help distract you from more meaningful pursuits on Tuesday.

To wit…

 

Local

Yet another successful CicLAvia goes down in the books; in less than four years it has become a tradition for some.

LAist learned 10 things from Sunday’s CicLAvia, while Streetsblog readers offer their thoughts.

Open Streets advocates from around the country look to CicLAvia for lessons learned.

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton looks at the new bicycle rumble strips on the LA River bike path.

UCLA offers 100 free show tickets for people who arrive on bike.

Tree experts from around the country take a 100 mile Pasadena bike tour.

Glendale police ticket over 50 drivers in a crackdown on handheld cell phones and texting while driving. Who do we write to thank them?

 

State

Leisure World residents confront a samurai sword-wielding bike rider.

Oceanside riders get a new, roughly one-third mile separated bike path. Call it a down payment on the planned 40+ mile route.

A 72-year old woman faces charges after seriously injuring a Rancho Bernardo bike rider in a drunken hit-and-run.

Redlands complete a successful 30th Bicycle Classic, while inspiring the next generation of riders. And maybe the one after that.

I see reports like this everyday. But seriously, who would run a stop sign when there’s a car right in front of you, like this woman in Blythe allegedly did?

An 18-year old bike rider suffers major injuries in a Santa Maria hit-and-run; the victim was in a crosswalk when the light turned green in the opposite direction.

Careless drivers and overly aggressive cyclists make a bad combination on Bay Area back roads.

A Santa Rosa cyclist dies in police custody after struggling with officers following a brief chase. Just a coincidence, I’m sure.

 

National

Looks like action cam maker Contour is back from the dead.

Apparently assuming the highway death count isn’t high enough, Apple is working on better ways to distract drivers.

Tucson cyclists want better road safety; they had their version of a ciclovia on Sunday, too.

Apparently, bike paths pose a risk to rural Wyoming residents.

Missouri Republican declares war on bicycle funding in the state budget.

Police attempt to encourage alternative transportation by cracking down on bicycling University of Illinois students as soon as the weather warms up. Yeah, that’ll get more people on bikes.

The rich get richer as Chicago gets another 15 miles of buffered bike lanes, and five miles of protected bike lanes.

Bike riding is getting safer in Ohio as bikes and cars are clashing less.

A Georgia writer correctly notes that children on bikes can’t be expected to ride responsibly, and it’s up to motorists to drive as if it’s their kids sharing the roads with them.

 

International

New British Brainy Bike Lights promise to make motorists recognize bikes a split second sooner.

Fabian Cancellara wins a third Tour of Flanders, while a fan is critically injured in a collision with a rider. Meanwhile, cycling scion Taylor Phinney continues to impress.

A Mumbai cyclist struggles to raise funds to compete in this year’s RAAM. Surely some American firm has saved enough by outsourcing their customer service and/or tech departments overseas to throw a few rupees his way.

A New Zealand panel will explore how to keep cyclists safer. Like not crashing into them, maybe?

 

Finally…

Repeat after me. When you’re carrying multiple baggies of meth, marijuana and assorted drug paraphernalia — and a key to a drug-filled locker — on your bike, don’t ride salmon. Seriously.

And it looks like the Militant Angeleno punked me us with his guide to the Wilshire CicLAvia. I really, really wanted to believe the one about the car cult.

Thanks to John Hall for his generous donation to help support this website and bring you LA’s best bike news everyday. If you’d like to help, you can contribute to BikinginLA through PayPal.

Update — bike rider killed in Huntington Beach hit-and-run

Another Orange County bicyclist has been killed by a heartless hit-and-run driver.

KABC-7 reports that a 34-year old woman, whose has not been released, was struck by a white van around 8:25 last night near the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Utica Ave.

The driver fled the scene without stopping. Meanwhile, the victim was taken to UCI Medical Center, where she died.

The Orange County Register reports she was in a crosswalk on Utica when she was struck; a satellite photo shows four well-marked crosswalks at the intersection. They also report that the van was last seen fleeing north on Beach Blvd.

No further details are available at this time. Anyone with information is urged to call police Huntington Beach police accident investigators Tai Huynh at 714-536-5670 or Robert Barr at 714-536-5666

Read more: http://ktla.com/2014/04/07/driver-sought-after-cyclist-killed-in-huntington-beach-hit-and-run/#ixzz2yFUMPpW8

This is the 29th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth in Orange County since the first of the year, three of which have been hit-and-runs.

She is also the second bike rider killed in a Huntington Beach hit-and-run in the last two months, and the fifth rider to die in a hit-and run in the city since 2010.

Looks like there’s a serious problem there.

Update: Still no ID on the victim; however, KTLA-5 reports that she was a resident of Huntington Beach.

The Register has removed the paywall from their article, which says the driver appears to have been headed north on Beach, while the victim was riding east on Utica. Police are now looking for a white sedan with probable front-end damage; earlier reports suggested the vehicle was a white van.

Update 2: The victim has been identified as 34-year old Genevieve Ann Hall of Huntington Beach. Meanwhile, the suspect vehicle has been identified as a 2006 to 2013 Chevy Impala with damage to the front bumper. Thanks to Danny Gamboa for the heads-up.

Update 3: Friends and family members struggle to deal with Hall’s death. And a fundraiser will be held at Mama’s On 39 in Huntington Beach on Wednesday night to help pay her funeral expenses.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Genevieve Ann Hall and her loved ones.

A brief look at Sunday’s successful, stress-free Wilshire CicLAvia

Let’s take a quick photographic tour of a few outstanding moments from Sunday’s CicLAvia on Wilshire Blvd.

Only in LA — Cyclists at the Fairfax hub get to ride the red carpet.

Only in LA — Cyclists at the Fairfax hub get to ride the red carpet.

Evidently, bikes really are good for business.

Evidently, bikes really are good for business.

A boy on a bike circles the moving memorial to Robert F. Kennedy in front of the former Ambassador Hotel.

A boy on a bike circles the moving memorial to Robert F. Kennedy in front of the former Ambassador Hotel.

A homeless man sleeping behind the memorial shows we still have a long way to go to live up to RFK's ideals.

A homeless man sleeping behind the memorial shows we still have a long way to go to live up to RFK’s ideals.

Long time LA residents might not recognize the new, pristine and junkie-free MacArthur park, where cakes no longer melt in the rain.

Long time LA residents might not recognize the new, pristine and junkie-free MacArthur park, where cakes no longer melt in the rain.

Just a small fraction of the crowd walking through the Dismount Zone at the DTLA hub.

Just a small fraction of the crowd walking through the Dismount Zone at the DTLA hub. And one guy riding anyway.

There were a lot of very cool ridden on the route. This classic Sting Ray reproduction was one of my favorites.

There were a lot of very cool ridden on the route. This classic Sting Ray reproduction was one of my favorites.

This was my first chance to ride the new Wilshire Blvd Bus — and bike — Only Lanes.

This was my first chance to ride the new Wilshire Blvd Bus — and bike — Only Lanes.

As promised, much of the architecture was beautiful. And too often unnoticed behind the wheel of a car.

As promised, much of the architecture was beautiful. And too often goes unnoticed from behind the wheel of a car.

 

This little guy was very winded after riding up a small hill. And deservedly very proud of what he'd accomplished.

This little guy was very winded after riding up a small hill. And deservedly very proud of what he’d accomplished.

Children and adults took advantage of the opportunity to add their artwork to this van.

Children and adults took advantage of the opportunity to add their artwork to this van.

One final reminder that bikes are good for business. And if restaurants and other business owners work for safe bike access. they'l be rewarded.

One final reminder that bikes are good for business. And if restaurants and other business owners work for safe bike access, they’l be rewarded.

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Just a few other notes.

Just like last year along the same route, this was one of the most relaxed of the eight CicLAvias I’ve attended.

This was also the first time I didn’t witness a single downed rider. That’s not to say no one was injured, but I saw a lot of very bored people in the First Aid booths.

There were a lot of very young children riding on training wheels and small bikes, which spoke volumes about how comfortable their parents felt in letting them ride. And sets the stage for a new generation of bike riders.

There were also more people walking than I’ve seen in years past. Maybe the message is finally getting out that CicLAvia is for everyone, regardless of how you choose to travel. As long as it’s without a motor.

Businesses that reached out to CicLAvia participants in some way were richly rewarded. Those that remained closed or ignored what was happening on the street in front of them were largely ignored in turn.

If bike riders had a safe way to get to those shops and restaurants, proprietors could enjoy a boost in business more than once a year.

Twelve miles an hour isn’t fast. Except when everyone else is doing eight. If you find yourself alone in weaving in and out of other bike traffic, you’re the problem. Note: In response to a comment from Chuck below, I am not suggesting any kind of speed limit for anyone. What I’m saying is that when the traffic around you slows down and bunches up, it is both rude and dangerous to try to force your way through at a higher speed. Slow down and wait until it is safe to pass, just like we expect drivers to do.

And if you find yourself bombing downhill in a dismount zone, or weaving uphill when everyone else observing the requirement to walk, you’re more than just the problem. You’re a danger to everyone else on the street — which is putting it mildly.

More still needs to be done to keep motor vehicles off the CicLAvia route. I saw many drivers pull up to the barricades and turn around after realizing the road was closed. I saw others try to inch their way past despite the walkers and riders in their way; evidently, the idea that a street could be closed to motor vehicle traffic is incomprehensible to some.

An online acquaintance set out looking for me in the massive crowd, and vice versa. Instead she met Conan O’Brian. I’d call that a significant trade-up.

Finally, after one of the most exceptionally pleasant CicLAvias yet, the October return to Downtown LA seems a very long way off, indeed.

 

Update — Bike rider killed in Coachella collision

On a day when LA bike riders safely celebrated one of the city’s most iconic streets, the news from further east was much more troubling.

According to the Desert Sun, an unidentified bike rider was killed in a collision with a pickup at 6:30 Sunday evening at the intersection of Vista del Norte and Dillon Road. The paper reports the victim died at the scene, and that drug or alcohol use did not play a role in the collision.

Unfortunately, no other details are available at this time.

This is the 28th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth in Riverside County already this year, compared to just two in the county this time last year.

And it’s a reminder that too many of our streets remain dangerous for those who choose to travel unprotected by a few tons of glass and steel.

Update: The Desert Sun has identified the victim as 48-year old Atwater resident Larry Dale Taylor. According to the Riverside County coroner, he was wearing a helmet, which may or may not be relevant depending on the victim’s injuries and how the collision occurred.

 Thanks to attorney James Johnson for the heads-up.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Larry Taylor and his loved ones.

Update 2: KESQ.com report that Taylor was riding east on the shoulder of Vista Del Norte just west of Dillon Road when he inexplicably turned left directly in front of the pickup in what sounds like a classic SWSS.*

Reports like that should always be taken with a grain of salt, unless there are independent witnesses other than the driver, which is not clear in this case. Often when the victim is unable to give his side of the story, police are forced to rely on statements from the driver, who has an inherent interest in seeing his or her actions in the best possible light.

It’s always possible that instead of the victim turning in front of the vehicle, the driver may have drifted to the right or not seen the cyclist riding in front of him.

*Single Witness Suicide Swerve