The good news is my eye infection has cleared up.
The bad news is, I’m still sick as a dog.
I was hoping to be fully back at work today, but it turns out the eye infection was just a symptom, rather than the illness. There’s something else going on that’s kept me flat on my back for the past week, and doesn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon.
Hopefully something will break, and we’ll be back with our usual Morning Links soon.
A man was killed riding a bike in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles early Sunday morning.
Although the details aren’t very clear.
According to a multiple identical reports based on a story from City News Service, the victim was struck by a driver on Centinela Ave around 12:30 am Sunday.
The victim, identified only as a man who appeared to be approximately 60-years old, was riding north when he was struck by the southbound motorist near Centinela and Mitchell Ave, after allegedly riding into oncoming traffic.
He died after being taken to a nearby hospital.
The driver remained at the scene.
Unfortunately, there’s no explanation of what was meant by “riding…into oncoming traffic.” It’s possible he was on the wrong side of the street, or he could have simply been turning or trying to cross from one side to the other.
There’s also no word on whether there were any independent witnesses who saw him ride into traffic, aside from the driver who killed him.
This is at least the 66th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 20th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the tenth in the City of Los Angeles.
I’m also aware of two other Southern California bicycling deaths in the last week while I’ve been under the weather; I’ll try to catch up on those later Monday.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
As I said the other day, if it’s not one damn thing, it’s another.
My blood sugar levels are still unacceptably high. And now you can add an eye infection that’s made my right eye virtually useless the past couple days, and makes it almost impossible to use for more than couple minutes at a time.
Hopefully, the antibiotics will kick in soon, and we’ll be back in a day or two.
Although the way things have gone lately, I wouldn’t hold your breath.
That sudden chill you feel is hell freezing over.
Surprisingly, CD13 Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell has taken up support for the Sunset4All Complete Streets makeover of Sunset Boulevard through Echo Park, Silver Lake and East Hollywood.
According to Urbanize Los Angeles,
In a motion introduced on September 14, 13th District Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell requests a report back from the Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Engineering, the Bureau of Street Services, and the City Administrative Officer on recommendations for implementing the scope of improvements proposed in the Sunset4All plan, including a budget, funding opportunities, and a timeline for delivery.
The proposed concept, according to O’Farrell’s motion, would serve an area that is home to more than 100,000 residents, and impact corridors which have been recognized as part of the City’s High Injury Network. The overall project area includes the stretch of Sunset between Fountain Avenue and Dodger Stadium, as well as Santa Monica Boulevard between the Vermont/Santa Monica subway station and Sunset Junction. The Sunset4All plan proposes to restripe the existing right-of-way, adding up to:
- 3.2 miles of protected bike lanes;
- enhanced crosswalks and bus stops;
- new safe routes to schools; and
- several pocket parks.
Although the strength of O’Farrell’s support is up for debate.
It’s possible that his sudden support stems from his uphill battle for re-election against challenger Hugo Soto-Martinez, who had a nine point lead over O’Farrell in the primary election.
Let’s hope he’s had a late career Damascus moment, and now realizes the error of his ways after cancelling the shovel-ready Temple Street road diet five years ago, as well as other bike projects in the district.
And that his support will last past the November election.
Assuming he wins, of course, which is questionable at this point.
Today’s image is a rendering of the Sunset4All project through the Sunset Junction district.
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Longtime Los Alamitos City Council member Ronald R. “Ron” Bates died unexpectedly of an apparent medical emergency on September 6th while on a bike ride with friends.
Bates was 76-years old, and survived by his wife, two daughters and two grandchildren.
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A half mile of parking protected bike lanes are coming to 3rd Street in DTLA.
3rd Street bike lanes like a good project – for bikeway network connections downtown. Overall it's a half-mile – with about half of that new protected bike lane, and half upgrading an existing unprotected bike lane https://t.co/5NkxOsyWLu
— StreetsblogLA (@StreetsblogLA) September 15, 2022
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Before we go any further, let’s pause for a moment to thank Oceanside bike attorney Richard Duquette for renewing his sponsorship of this site for another year.
His support, and that of our other sponsors over there on the right, help keep this site going.
But more importantly, I can personally vouch for Duquette, and our other sponsors, if you ever need someone to fight for you after a crash or some other incident.
I would trust any one of them to handle my own case if someone ran me down on the streets. Which is the best reference I can give.
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Speaking of Duquette, he’s offering a sponsorship for next year for people and nonprofits engaged in bicycling and triathlons.
Here’s what he had to say.
Only a few more days to apply 2023 sponsorship. My law firm will sponsor the best partners, and the best people who come together to support and encourage bicycling & triathlon around the U.S.
If you are considering racing in 2023, like fun in these sports, then we encourage you to apply. Applications close on October 1st 2022. Tell us how YOU or your NON PROFIT 501(C)(3)(4) genuinely plan to improve the world (ESPECIALLY SAN DIEGO & SO CAL) by or through the sports of Bicycling & Triathlon. Send us your contact information!
If you are a nonprofit in good standing we want to help you! Below is a link to one of 3 links (with podcasts) that discuss “Corporate culture: Law & Ethics of Non Profits” in CA.(Subjects include conflicts of interest, self dealing, fiduciary duties of directors/officers and more.)
https://www.911law.com/blog/2017/may/corporate-culture-and-bicyclists-part-2-of-3-non/
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CNBC examines the seemingly endless size creep in motor vehicles, as they continue to get more dangerous to anyone unfortunate enough to be outside one.
We all know Americans love big vehicles. But there are other factors at work too that contribute to the neverending size creep we have seen in vehicles over the last few decades. I talked to @CNBC in this video piece about this automotive phenomenon. https://t.co/vaOSxjc2y8
— Ed Kim (@ekimap) September 13, 2022
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New Orleans City Council voted unanimously to rip out protected bike lanes in the underserved Algiers neighborhood, after residents complained about the removal of traffic lanes and parking spaces. Once again choosing convenience over human lives and equity. And making the city fully liable for anyone who gets hurt there afterwards.
Horrifying story from the UK, where a 29-year old man was sentenced to 16 months behind bars for physically attacking a disabled driver, who had the temerity to honk at him as he rode his bicycle; he ripped out the driver’s tracheotomy tube after the driver got out of his car, then knocked off his glasses and hearing aid, kicking the latter down the road. He also jumped on the car’s hood and stomped the windshield when the driver got back in his car and drove at him. Yes, the driver was in the wrong, too. But seriously, there’s no excuse for physical violence, especially against someone with an obvious disability.
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Streets For All founder Michael Schneider says switching to electric cars isn’t enough; it’s time to think bigger by encouraging more ebike use.
LA Laker’s legend Kobe Bryant was one of us, taking Team USA on early morning 40-mile bike rides through the desert to motivate them, before returning to the gym to practice at 7:30 am.
The LAPD is hosting the 2nd Annual Val Martinez Memorial Bike Ride on September 24th; the 25-mile ride will raise funds for the Martinez’ twin sons, who were born after he died of Covid.
Pasadena adopted a Roadside Memorial Sign Program to honor the victims of traffic violence.
Palmdale introduced four street projects, including pedestrian and bicycle improvements intended to revitalize the downtown civic center area.
Only In Your State recommends riding or walking the Old Sea World Drive Bay Trail in San Diego to get from the bay to the beach and back.
San Diego is jumpstarting the ebike revolution with a $10 million loan-to-own ebike program for people making below $49,000 a year.
A traffic tech site makes the case for why jaywalking laws should be abolished. Someone send the article to Governor Newsom, who has a nasty habit of vetoing traffic reforms that make sense, like this one.
Proponents are still fighting for an ebike rebate in the halls of Congress, after a proposed rebate ended up on the cutting room floor when the Inflation Reduction Act was passed.
CNN talks with bicycling activist Marley Blonsky, the Seattle-based co-founder of All Bodies on Bikes and a trailblazer of the body-size inclusion movement.
New Mexico sheriff’s officials consider bringing fraud charges against framebuilder Dillen Maurer, who raised $18,000 through a crowdfunding page after saying he lost a foot in a collision with an ATV rider while riding his bike near his Taos home; investigators claim he cut his own foot off in a chainsaw accident.
No excuse. A Denver man was seriously injured when he was run down by a hit-and-run driver while riding his bike, just one month and a few miles away from where his friend was killed by another driver, who also fled the scene.
A Kansas City woman practices radical forgiveness for the alleged stoned and distracted hit-and-run driver who killed her husband, a teacher and father of ten children, as he rode his bike.
Once again, transportation officials wait until someone dies to make needed safety improvements, as Kentucky officials approve plans for protected bike lanes on the oddly named Licking Valley Girl Scout Bridge, where a woman was killed in a collision while riding her bike earlier this month.
Country singer Vince Gill says his wife, Christian singer Amy Grant, is doing great, despite being confined to their Tennessee home after falling off her bike in July.
In news that shouldn’t surprise anyone, ebike riders tend to go further, and rid more often, than other bike riders.
Interesting Engineering picks the seven-best ebike conversion kits, while Cycling Weekly reviews the new and improved Swytch ebike conversion.
This Saturday is World Cleanup Day, which is a perfect opportunity to do some good on your bike.
The annual Fancy Women Bike Ride rolls this Sunday; the women-only ride was born in Turkey in 2013, and quickly spread around the world. Surprisingly, however, there don’t appear to be any fancy women planning rides anywhere in Southern California.
New Zealand’s Stuff website examines what’s stopping Christchurch residents from riding their bikes. Which is the same problems we face in Los Angeles, and just about everywhere else.
Julian Alaphilippe is back from the injuries he suffered during April’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege, as well as a bout of Covid, and ready to defend his two-time World Championship in Australia.
British pro Alex Dowsett is staring down retirement in his last few months as a pro cyclist
To be honest, we’ve all been there. Now you, too, can have a 3D-printed bike helmet custom tailored to the contours of your own head.
And forget helicabs. Now you can have your very own flying hoverbike, for the low, low price of just $777,000.
This is the world's first flying bike. The XTURISMO hoverbike is capable of flying for 40 minutes and can reach speeds of up to 62 mph pic.twitter.com/ZPZSHJsmZm
— Reuters (@Reuters) September 16, 2022
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin, too.
Sometimes, we only learn someone was killed riding a bike when the ghost bike goes up.
That was the case yesterday, when Walt discovered a ghost bike as he rode through Baldwin Park.
In researching the bike, he discovered it was for 43-year old Sandra Lee “Sharky Cakes” Arnobit, who was killed in a collision by a motorist on August 12, 2022, at Maine Ave & Olive Street.
Unfortunately, there’s no word on how it happened. A brief article from the Baldwin Park News says only that the crash occurred around 11:35 pm, and that the victim died at the scene.
A crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for Arnobit’s memorial and kids says she is survived by her teenage daughter Madison and son Demetrias/Woogie, as well her brother, sister and mother, and considered the biking community her second family.
It has raised over $31,000 of the 50,000 goal.
This is at least the 65th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 19th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Sandra Lee “Sharky Cakes” Arnobit and her loved ones.
Thanks to Walt Arrrrr for the heads-up.
Before we get started, our old friend Walt Arrrrr discovered a ghost bike installed in Baldwin Park.
After tracking it down, he discovered the victim was killed in a collision that barely made the news last month.
I’ll have more information later today.
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The driver who killed 44-year old Costa Mesa resident Randon Cintron as he rode his bike on Jamboree Road in Newport Beach was arrested shortly after the crash.
Thirty-six-year old Anaheim resident Adriana Rivera Bernal was taken into custody a couple miles from the crash site.
Bernal was reportedly high on an undisclosed drug at the time of the crash, and held on $1 million bond on suspicion of murder and hit-and-run.
She reportedly has a long history of drug abuse, petty theft, ID theft and auto theft, as well as multiple DUIs, which explains the murder charge.
A crowdfunding campaign to pay Cintron’s funeral expenses has raised over $29,000, easily topping the $20,000 goal.
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For anyone who, like me, has been following the case of the Kansas City teacher and father of ten children who was killed by an allegedly stoned hit-and-run driver, a crowdfunding campaign has raised over $204,000 of the $250,000 goal.
Meanwhile, the 27-year old driver has been charged with felony counts of hit-and-run resulting in death, and tampering with a motor vehicle; she reportedly admitted to police she was texting and high on Percocet when she ran the victim down, and allegedly set fire to her car afterward to coverup the crime.
She was also uninsured and driving on a suspended license.
More proof that taking a driver’s license away doesn’t necessarily stop anyone from driving. Officials have to impound the car, too.
Thanks to Jeff Vaughn for the heads-up.
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Sometimes, you just have to save drivers from themselves.
Even if they don’t thank you for it.
https://twitter.com/EntitledCycling/status/1570134505763278848
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No car, no wilderness for you.
John Elliot, a musician who #toursbybike, was denied entrance to Skyline Wilderness Park in Napa Valley, California, because he didn't arrive by car. We got Andrew Brooks, & Kara Vernor to discuss what all parties acknowledge is a big mistake.https://t.co/wJryVOcSwv
— California Bicycle Coalition (@CalBike) September 13, 2022
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People for Mobility Justice is hosting a ride to examine bike and pedestrian safety improvements in Wilmington .
Join us as #weridewilmington to learn about proposed pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements with @LADOTofficial our ride will be slow paced and family friendly @CBECal @EASTSIDERIDERS @joebuscaino pic.twitter.com/tOqbtNRUPn
— PMJ (@mobilityjustice) September 14, 2022
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Any LCIs want to help out in Menifee this Saturday?
Excited to be coming to @cityofmenifee this weekend Looking for extra LCIs @lacbc @OCbike @BikeLeague @CalBike @rideyourselffit pic.twitter.com/HlRMmXNGYI
— Walk 'n Rollers (@WalkAndRollers) September 13, 2022
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Walk ‘n Rollers is heading to Culver City to celebrate my birthday host a Walk & Roll Festival on the 24th.
We are back in @CulverCityGov 9/24 join us for free helmets, bike skills, bike repair & more! @ccusd @BikeCulverCity @lacbc #bikeskills #festival #bikesafety pic.twitter.com/I5f6vjobRD
— Walk 'n Rollers (@WalkAndRollers) September 14, 2022
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Mark your calendar for next month.
The countdown is on! The 26th annual National Walk & Roll to School Day is just a month away on Oct. 12. Have you registered your event at https://t.co/olK5aBsCEO yet?! pic.twitter.com/NkaYn5L3wP
— Walk, Bike & Roll to School (@walkrollschool) September 12, 2022
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Here’s another one to mark your calendar for.
https://twitter.com/NYC_SafeStreets/status/1570101221150846977
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There’s just something about this one that draws you in.
Artist: Leszek Holdanowicz, Poland, 1967 pic.twitter.com/AmuSPsSBuC
— Cool Bike Art (@CoolBikeArt1) September 9, 2021
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Sure, go to Australia to train for the Worlds.
But watch out for flying ‘roos.
Comenzamos el lunes con una rutita en bici pic.twitter.com/1muzfRTGiK
— Me Parthor Culo (@me_parthor) September 12, 2022
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That feeling when one little missing letter changes the whole meaning of the headline.
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No bias here. A candidate for West Hollywood city council comes out in favor of keeping Fountain Ave dangerous, as John Duran says he’s running to “kill Council’s dumb ideas,” like replacing traffic lanes with bike lanes — even though the city estimates it will reduce crashes 35% to 40%.
A New Orleans public radio station examines a proposal to remove protected bike lanes from the usually neglected Algiers neighborhood, because some local residents find the bollards the “most intrusive, visually unappealing design available.” Because evidently, aesthetics matter more than saving human lives.
A British transportation planner argues against taking the lane, suggesting that it just pisses drivers off.
A 56-year old Long Beach man faces charges for stabbing a couple outside a gay bar following a dispute, killing one man and seriously injuring another, before fleeing on his bicycle. A crowdfunding campaign to help pay the victims’ funeral costs and medical expenses has raised $37,000 of the $50,000 goal.
Multiple cars were hit with rocks thrown by a Portland man riding a bicycle and pulling a bike trailer; police cited the homeless bike rider for criminal mischief, adding to the 42 other citations he’s received recently.
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A man riding his bicycle in South LA was struck twice with bullets after hearing multiple gunshots, but was apparently unaware of where the shots came from.
That’s more like it. A 136-unit apartment building planned for LA’s Sawtelle neighborhood will feature 103 bicycle parking spaces, and just 93 spaces for cars.
Pasadena approves a list of 19 priority transportation projects using money Metro saved by not building an overpass on Colorado Blvd; half of the projects involve multimodal uses. Demonstrating that funds can actually be put to good use — a lot of good uses, in fact — instead of wasted on expensive, demand-inducing highway projects.
Santa Monica made the list of eight small cities with bike friendly cultures, joining more established locations like Wisconsin’s Mad City, Boulder, CO and my Colorado hometown.
Long Beach’s Beach Streets carfree open streets event returns this Saturday, after a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus.
Streetsblog is urging Gov. Newsom to veto AB 371, which would make bikeshare and e-scooter providers solely responsible for the negligent or reckless behavior of riders.
Electrek is teaming with Irvine-based e-bikemaker Super73 for a ride through Orange County Saturday evening. Even though the website uses a very expansive definition of Los Angeles.
Nice gesture, as Orange County residents contributed over 200 bouquets to continue the charitable work of eight-year old Bradley Rofer, who was killed riding his bike in Coto de Caza earlier this month; he donated the money he raised selling bouquets to support young cancer patients.
San Diego’s Blind Stoker’s Club is in the mix for a grant of up to $15,000.
Goleta will host a public meeting on September 20th to consider the San Jose Creek Bike Path Project, following the completion of the environmental review.
The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition is hosting their Bike to the Future annual fundraising ride on Sunday.
Oakland police still haven’t made an arrest in the hit-and-run involving an impatient driver during the monthly East Bay Bike Party, even though the department was presented with eyewitness accounts and the driver’s license plate number.
Writing for Outside, bike scribe Joe Lindsey makes the case for why you should buy an ebike instead of an EV.
The National Law Review examines the high cost of bicycle crashes, and the obvious cost-effectiveness of avoiding crashes in the first place.
A British boy features in a typical Facebook scam, as photos keep popping up saying he was struck by a driver September 4th in several different US towns; the boy was actually hit by a car in Grimsby, England three months earlier, while an accompanying photo of a bicycle comes from a 2021 crash in Santa Rosa.
How Google Maps could tweak their algorithms to make bicycling safer and more appealing.
Tomorrow’s Dateline NBC season premier will examine the murder of gravel cyclist Moriah “Mo” Wilson in Austin, Texas, and the arrest of her accused love triangle killer Kaitlin Armstrong.
A former St. Louis drug dealer turned his life around by designing and building custom lowrider bicycles.
A Kentucky bike ride will take participants past several distilleries. Which seems like one hell of a wasted opportunity.
Sharing a bike lane with ebikes and scooters is one thing; sharing a New York bike lane with motorized lawn chairs is another.
A new study shows Philadelphia bikeshare use crossed geographic and socio-economic lines during the pandemic.
Drivers continue to blow through a DC stop sign, a year after a five-year old girl was killed while riding her bike in the crosswalk.
World Car-Free Day is one week from today. So how do you plan to celebrate?
Now you, too, can start your own bike brand.
Treehugger’s Lloyd Alter says America’s ebike revolution is in trouble, because too many supposed ebikes aren’t.
No surprise here, as a new study from Chile finds that income inequalities affect the presence and quality of bicycling infrastructure.
A Vancouver researcher uses her bike as a scientific tool to map the area’s bats.
More proof that government officials are the same almost everywhere, as Northern Ireland’s new infrastructure minister reneges on his pledge to introduce legislation to support safer bicycling.
British Cycling has removed a restriction on not riding bicycles during the queen’s funeral, in response to a significant backlash. Although they still would prefer your didn’t.
Life is cheap in the UK, where a man was sentenced to 30 months behind bars for the drunken, wrong way crash that nearly killed a 13-year old boy; he was so wasted the pub he was at cut him off, so he was driving to another to keep drinking when he hit the kid head-on while on the wrong side of the road.
Seriously? A London writer says you’re better off dealing with the city’s traffic than trying to ride a bike in Amsterdam.
Cycling Tips explains how East Africa’s Team Amani became the unlikely stars of Meta’s new ad campaign.
Tragic news from Thailand, where a British couple riding their bikes around the world were killed Wednesday when they were run down by a pickup driver outside of Bangkok.
USA Cycling has added six riders to the US team for the Worlds, after fatigue, injuries and the fight for WorldTour teams to avoid relegation have taken a toll of the previous roster.
Cycling Tips debates whether cycling team relegation is a good idea. I’m all for it, myself.
Our friend Peter Flax travels to Idaho to discover the myriad joys of gravel racing.
As you can see below, not all competitions involve spandex. Or two wheels, for that matter. (“Triporteur” translates to tricycle.)
Championnat des triporteurs, 1938. pic.twitter.com/CaN2nl9vMs
— David Guénel (@davidguenel) September 14, 2022
That feeling when you have to train a replacement after your bike-riding parrot dies. When you steal a tow truck, maybe don’t return to the scene of the crime to reclaim your bike.
And bike-riding cats are nothing new. But not many have their own helmet.
https://www.tiktok.com/@heyitsgingerandpepper/video/7142957087075749122?is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7142957087075749122&refer=embed&referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsweek.com%2F&referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsweek.com%2Fcat-helmet-bike-ride-viral-tiktok-video-1742860&referer_video_id=7142957087075749122
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin, too.
My apologies.
I’ve been struggling with my blood sugar all day, and haven’t been able to get it back under control to get to work tonight.
As usual, we’ll be back tomorrow to catch up on anything we missed today.
Another reminder to get yourself checked if you’re at risk of diabetes, and do whatever it takes to avoid it. Because you don’t want this crap.
Seriously, if it’s not one damn thing, it’s another.
Apparently, it’s bike theft season.
Crosstown LA examined the trends, and discovered bicycle thefts tend to spike in Los Angeles during September and October.
According to the site, bike theft has surged in the fall since at least 2015, peaking in October from 2015 to 2019, and September for the past two years.
Bike theft numbers are likely artificially low, as publicly available Los Angeles Police Department data only counts thefts actually reported. Many people may not call police for a missing two-wheeler, either because of time constraints, or because they do not expect doing so will help with recovery.
Still, the annual fall rise in thefts indicates that the increase may be tied to the resumption of school, in particular the return of college students. From Jan. 1, 2015–Aug. 15, 2022, a total of 2,062 bicycles were reported stolen in University Park, where the USC campus is located and where many of its students reside. That is the highest count of any neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles.
The second-highest number of thefts occurred in dense Downtown, followed by Venice, a well-known cycling hub. The fourth-most victimized community in that period was Sawtelle, where many UCLA students live.
Like this, for instance.
Sometimes, the best way to thwart a theft is prevention. Ted Rogers, the editor of the blog BikinginLA and a former board member of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, said he takes measures to keep his bike safe.
“I’ve been known to walk my bike into stores just so I don’t have to lock it up,” he said. “Never lock your bike to a sign because signs can be unbolted and taken away. Never lock your bike to a small tree because those have been known to be pulled out of the ground.”
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A Streetsblog Twitter thread explains plans by Metro and Caltrans to widen a section of the 405 Freeway through Carson.
We’ve already seen how they might as well just flush the money down the toilet, as other expansion projects — like the $1 billion effort to install HOV lanes through the Sepulveda Pass — have only served to make traffic worse through induced demand.
The money would be far better spent to improve transit, as well as bikeways, to reduce congestion by providing people with viable alternatives to driving.
Got some documentation on the project where @metrolosangeles and @CaltransDist7 plan to add more lanes to the 405 Freeway through the city of Carson. (short thread) pic.twitter.com/iFxMwRxYeG
— StreetsblogLA (@StreetsblogLA) September 12, 2022
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A writer for City Watch considers how the Healthy Streets LA ballot proposal alters the balance of power for the “do-nothing” city council.
The Mobility Initiative alters the balance of power. Now the City Council is not in complete control. Now it must work with the Initiative’s sponsors. The City Council and the sponsors both need to consider the voters who will have the opportunity to accept or reject the Mobility Initiative or any other alternative measure cooked up by the City Council.
One of the issues that needs to be addressed is how to pay for the Mobility Plan and the $5 billion needed to repair our streets and sidewalks. Will this require an increase in our sales tax or a new parcel tax?
Although it should be noted that the Healthy Streets LA ballot proposal requires no additional investment, since it only requires the city to stripe infrastructure called for in the mobility plan when streets are resurfaced, when they would need to be re-striped anyway.
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Finish the Ride wants you to come celebrate Halloween with them in Santa Clarita.
Prices increase for Finish The Ride and
Finish The Run Halloween in just ONE WEEK!Awards for best costume and top finishers, beer
garden, graveyard photo area, and more!Register today at https://t.co/VnKqyr05YI.#FinishTheRide #FinishTheRun #Halloween#NeverGiveUp pic.twitter.com/M2QGLOGdV8
— Finish The Ride (@FinishTheRide) September 12, 2022
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More anti-bike sabotage, as someone built a cinderblock wall across a Portland, Oregon bike path, which someone else quickly knocked down.
A Joliet, Illinois man faces charges for a seemingly random attack on a woman riding bikes with her two children, striking her with a plastic pole and repeatedly hitting her after yelling at them to be quiet.
What could possibly go wrong? A seemingly endless line of porta-potties have been installed in an Edinburg, Scotland bike lane to serve people waiting in line to see the queen lying in state. Which puts riders at risk of an entirely different kind of dooring.
More proof that bicyclists face the same risks the world over, as bike riders in Ghana worry about hostile attitudes from drivers, which could “continue to cause fatalities among cyclists and further discourage young people.”
Toronto bike cops are called on the carpet for riding through stop signs, setting a bad example for the rest of us.
Police in Glasgow, Scotland are looking for an ebike rider who seriously injured a 55-year old bike rider in a collision; both stopped following the crash, but the ebike rider may have ridden off before learning how seriously the other man was injured.
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A Venice bicyclist pulling a trailer was stopped by another man who insisted the bike was his in an altercation caught on security cam; the second man took the bike after appearing to whack the bike rider with a stick.
Pasadena police will conduct yet another in the seemingly endless series of bicycle and pedestrian safety operations this Friday. As usual, ride to the letter of the law until you cross the city limits so you’re not the one who gets ticketed.
LA County is investing $15 million in a series of new bike lanes and other street improvements in South Whittier, La Mirada, and Santa Fe Springs
A 34-year old repeat offender was arrested by Cal State Fullerton university police for the seventh time on bike theft charges, after they saw through his attempt to disguise himself as a student.
Apparently assuming they’re the only ones who need to get anywhere, residents near San Diego State University’s new Snapdragon Stadium are protesting plans to reduce traffic lanes along portions of Mission Village Drive in order to install protected bike lanes.
Streetsblog looks at the bike treatments currently taking shape in downtown San Jose.
An Oakland website looks at ten road projects underway in the city, including protected bike lanes and road diets.
Don’t think twice about that odor emanating from your body after a hard ride; NPR says it’s good for you. Thanks to Robert Leone for the link.
More evidence we’re failing the nation’s bicyclists, as The Guardian cites a number of American bike riders who say they are giving up bicycling because they just don’t feel safe on the streets.
Oregon elected officials get out and ride their bikes at Portland’s annual Bike Town Hall. Something we should definitely try to replicate here.
Bikemakers continue to offer seriously overpowered ebikes, as Colorado-based Optibike introduces a bike with the world’s highest power-to-weight ration, and a top speed of 36 mph.
Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid pled guilty to the speeding, DUI crash that left a five-year old girl with severe brain injuries, as well as injuring another child; he faces a maximum of four years behind bars.
Sounds familiar. A Kansas City public radio station says the city’s worst intersection is all of them, with too many problematic intersections to fix at once.
Cincinnati bike riders and pedestrians will get a new bridge later this month, connecting multiple trails for the first time.
A Chicago cop could face discipline for running a stop sign and plowing into a bike rider, while traveling without lights and siren.
This is the cost of traffic violence. The head basketball coach of Pennsylvania’s Delaware County Community College was killed in a collision while on a group ride, after police say he lost control of his bike and swerved in front of the driver of an oncoming pickup; he still holds the school record for assists at Coppin State University, where he played in the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1990.
Bike Radar offers advice on bicycling while pregnant.
Bike Biz examines how bike shops can be more inclusive for disabled bike riders.
Another unexpected consequence of the queen’s death, as the introduction of ebikes to London’s bikeshare system — the former Boris Bikes — has been postponed during the mourning period.
Bike riders in Norwich, England are confused by signs closing bike racks during the mourning period, which wouldn’t seem to have anything to do with the queen’s death.
That’s more like it. The UK government has approved a traffic control device allowing Bike Bus chaperones to control traffic signals to improve safety for kids riding their bikes to and from school.
One of South Africa’s largest bicycling organizations is urging riders to wear neon colors during the day, and reflective gear at night. None of which will protect riders from the country’s notorious bike-robbing criminal gangs, however.
Premium bikes are gaining popularity with urban residents in China’s resurgent bicycle kingdom.
The owner of the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team is threatening to take UCI to court as his team faces relegation, with two lower-level teams preparing to move up to the WorldTour, while six teams are in danger of moving down.
A San Francisco website looks back at the five-day Mission Crit held in the Mission District September 3rd, billed as “the last great American bike race.”
In honor of the queen, everyone is expected to drive. That feeling when your gran fondo runs out of food.
And always remember to make eye contact with drivers, even though they may not be able to see you, anyway.
https://twitter.com/EntitledCycling/status/1569007142325354499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1569007142325354499%7Ctwgr%5E5f5dcccdbd113c544ccd2366ce3f4f14b984d825%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Froad.cc%2Fcontent%2Fnews%2Fcycling-live-blog-12-september-2022-295865
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin, too.
No bias here.
A columnist for the Orange County Register bizarrely makes the claim that giving people without cars $1,000 to help cover their transit costs is part of the mythical War on Cars.
As if the new law awaiting Gov. Newsom’s signature somehow does anything to prevent anyone from owning a car if they want one, and can afford it.
Some people might say single occupancy vehicles are a way to get to work and earn a living, enabling the government to collect taxes from paychecks, and also that they transform into quadruple occupancy vehicles that drive people to school, to doctor’s appointments and on trips to spend money at California businesses.
Portantino doesn’t acknowledge any need for a car in his argument in support of his bill. “SB 457 will incentivize mass mode shift toward sustainable transportation by allowing a credit against the ‘net tax’ in the amount of $1,000 for each household with zero registered vehicles,” he said, according to the bill analysis.
And silly me. I thought conservatives were in favor of cutting taxes.
Evidently just not for poor people. Or if it involves cars.
Never mind that the quote above is her entire argument that the tax credits have anything to do with a War on Cars.
Although she seems to think banning the sale of new gas cars by 2035 is somehow equivalent to banning all cars.
Instead, she morphs into complaints about Covid relief payments and buying votes, conveniently forgetting that California law requires rebate checks if tax payments exceed the state’s needs.
But that apparently doesn’t fit her narrative.
Photo by Jonathan Cooper on Pexels.
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It was nice while it lasted.
WeHo’s first attempt at bike-priority street failed, apparently because it was inconvenient of some ressident.
Never mind that you can’t encourage more bike riding by requiring bicyclists to stop every block or two.
PSA:: “Traffic Diverters” that were installed along Willoughby Av bet Fairfax X Vista will be removed this month – says City of West Hollywood that spent $300,000 in its failed experiment. Most neighbors support 4-way stops, speed bumps, maybe a roundabout but no to diverters. pic.twitter.com/BBgouiB6dZ
— Melrose Action (@melroseaction) September 11, 2022
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Unbelievable.
Bizarre update to last week’s story about Baphomet Bicycles framebuilder Dillen Maurer losing a foot in a collision with an ATV rider as he rode his bike near his Taos, New Mexico home.
The local sheriff has concluded it never happened, and that Maurer cut his own foot off using a chainsaw. Although that be easy to prove — or disprove — since there would be blood and bone trapped in the chainsaw blade to back up the sheriff’s contention.
If not, he owes Maurer a very public apology.
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Radio host Stephanie Miller is one of us, as is writer and contributor to her show Bob Cesca.
And Bob Cesca is #oneofus @bikinginla https://t.co/l9XUrYMfPe
— erikgriswold.bsky.social (@erik_griswold) September 10, 2022
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Ludacris is one of us, too. Or at least can play one in the movies.
Born on this day, September 11, 1977:
Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, rapper and actor, here showing actor Shane Graham how to ride in the BMX drama The Ride (2018).
Happy #BicycleBirthday, Ludacris!#botd #BikesInFilms pic.twitter.com/IeyzNDX3sK— Cool Bike Art (@CoolBikeArt1) September 11, 2022
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And NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt was one, too.
But only if he could ride backwards while sitting in the handlebars.
You've all seen the picture of Dale riding a bike backwards while sitting on the handlebars at a 1992 tire test at @IMS, well here is video of it from rTV6 abc via Michael R Hartz. pic.twitter.com/kjqs7jFwzI
— The Dale Earnhardt Archive (@ArchivesDe) January 29, 2021
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No bias here. Ebike-riding teens get the blame for bad behavior by La Jolla drivers, as school officials complain about kids riding in a bike lane legally passing stalled traffic, and nearly getting hit by careless drivers who can’t figure out how to use their mirrors.
There’s no excuse for hit-and-run. And not much for being a self-entitled jerk forcing your way through a sea on oncoming bikes, even if they are on the wrong side of the road.
Driver of this early-model Lexus ES 300 clipped a bicyclist & ran over a 2nd bike on Alcatraz Ave. near Racine in North Oakland during their monthly East Bay Bike Party. @oaklandpoliceca investigating pic.twitter.com/fU4jJtXCav
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) September 12, 2022
Police in Madison, Wisconsin say the sabotage of bike trails with electronic cords hung at neck height has finally stopped; one man was seriously injured crashing into one on his bike.
No bias here, either. A New York woman was impaled on a fence after she was struck by a driver with 168 traffic violations — yes, 168. The driver blamed bad brakes, while the victim’s daughter somehow blamed a new parking protected bike lane.
A bike-riding transient was arrested for allegedly attempting to sexually assault a masseuse at a Pasadena health spa.
An Arkansas man got six years behind bars for fleeing from police on a bicycle while carrying meth and a handgun he was prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon; he was stopped when he was tased by a cop.
A bike-riding South Carolina man was busted for randomly shooting a woman’s SUV with a BB gun.
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A number of tiny homes for homeless veterans at West LA’s Veterans Center were destroyed in a fire evidently started by an overheated lithium ebike battery; 11 units were destroyed, and at least four others damaged.
Palmdale’s Planning Commission adopted a new 23-year update to the city’s General Plan, including plans to develop 20-minute neighborhoods, with increased walkability and bicycle safety.
Carlsbad bike riders call on the city to amend a “well intended but misguided” ordinance that requires ebike riders to dismount anytime they come within 50 feet of a pedestrian or equestrian on a pathway less than five feet wide, which in effect forces people to walk more than they ride on some trails.
San Diego’s Park Blvd is getting much needed bus and bike lanes leading to Balboa Park, following a repaving project.
Kindhearted Turlock firefighters bought a new BMX bike for a 14-year old boy after his was trashed when he was struck by a driver.
A Forestville teenager recounts his efforts to save the life of Santa Rosa chef Rob Reyes, who died after crashing into a metal bollard on a bike path during a bike ride with his restaurant staff last month.
Maui, Hawaii considers age limits and other restrictions on commercial downhill tour operators to address complaints about safety on the island’s Haleakalā volcano.
Aussie cyclist Lachlan Morton raised over $12,000 for his friend, Kenyan pro cyclist Suleiman “Sule” Kangangi, who was killed in the Vermont Overland gravel race, while setting a provisional record for completing the 530-mile Colorado Trail in 3 days 10 hours and 15 minutes.
The chancellor of the City University of New York is one of us, too, spending his weekend mornings on his bike.
Life is cheap in New Jersey, where carelessly killing a 13-year old kid riding a bicycle is only worth a damn traffic ticket.
Electrek discusses the best ebikes at every price point, starting at just $995 and rising to $6,999.
A London bike theft victim complains the city has to do more to stop the crime, with a bike is stolen even 16 minutes, and just 2.6% of cases resulting in an arrest.
That feeling when you’re not welcome in central London riding a Penney Farthing while dressed in Viking chain mail, complete with traditional Viking weaponry. Apparently bringing up bad memories of the last time the Vikings sacked London in 842.
The manager of the English Premier League’s Manchester United side is also one of us, taking a leisurely ride around Cheshire with his wife after the weekend matches were cancelled following the queen’s death.
That’s more like it. A UK truck driver whose provisional drivers license expired 20 years ago got eight years behind bars for killing bike-riding woman while high on coke.
A British woman recalls riding her bike over an embankment after nearly running over the queen and her corgis, only to find the queen peering over the edge asking if she was alright. The corgis, on the other hand, apparently didn’t give a bark.
A writer for Road Bike Action recommends taking an Irish bike trip back in time.
If you’re going to ride 870 miles from Liège, Belgium to Nice, France in search of a croissant made with “lavender grown on a wide limestone plateau high up in the Côte d’Azur hinterland,” it better be a damn good one.
New Zealand’s Stuff website continues their Better By Bike series with a local transport engineer discussing six myths about bicycling in Christchurch. Virtually all of which you can encounter on a regular basis to disparage bicycling in Los Angeles. The only difference is instead of being told it’s too cold and wet, we’re told it’s too hot and dry.
Remco Evenepoel became the first Belgian to win the Vuelta since 1978, a victory that was all but assured after three-time defending champ Primož Roglič dropped out following a hard crash in stage 16; Evenepoel also avenged his father Patrick, who finished next-to-last in the Vuelta 29 years ago.
Apparently, Evenepoel made the right choice by switching from soccer to cycling.
Belgium celebrated Evenepoel’s victory by illuminating Brussel’s main square in the red color of the Vuelta leader’s jersey.
Et voilà notre magnifique Grand Place aux couleurs de #LaVuelta22 ! Onze prachtige Grote Markt heeft nu de kleuren van #LaVuelta22 ! pic.twitter.com/nWew9cMSf9
— Philippe Close (@PhilippeClose) September 10, 2022
Meanwhile, Roglič blamed Britain’s Fred Wright for the “unacceptable” crash that forced him out of the race after touching wheels.
Evidently, Bollywood stardom doesn’t keep you from having to catch a ride home on a rickshaw after getting a flat on your bike. When you’re fleeing from store security on your bike after shoplifting at J.C. Penney’s, try not to crash into a police cruiser as you make your getaway.
And that feeling when you have to turn around and go back home because the queen died.
Because of the royal period of mourning, you can’t lock your bike to a cycle rack in Norwich. pic.twitter.com/QuFYmUizLj
— Jeremy Hutchinson (@Themightyhutch) September 11, 2022
Thanks to Teotwawki for the link.
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin, too.
News broke late Sunday morning that a bike rider had been seriously injured by a hit-and-run driver in Newport Beach.
It was this evening before we learned that the victim didn’t survive.
Although as video from the scene makes clear, he never had a chance.
The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was riding on the 3000 block of Jamboree Road near Camelback Street when he was struck by a driver around 8:30 am.
The driver fled the scene following the crash.
Initial reports suggested that the victim had suffered major injuries, with a watch commander with the Newport Beach Police Department stated his condition was “not real good.”
As it turned out, that was quite an understatement.
Raw video from the scene shows the coroner arriving and removing the victim’s body from a tent alongside the road, making clear he had died at the scene, and was never even taken to a hospital.
A black road bike can be seen lying in the bike lane with a shattered rear wheel, suggesting that the victim had been run down from behind. Meanwhile, the police tent where his body had been secluded sat a couple dozen yards up the road, making it clear he had been hit with significant force.
The posted speed limit on the street is 55 mph, making the crash almost impossible to survive. There is simply no excuse for speeds that high on any surface streets.
Police were looking for a white sedan with a cracked windshield, no make or model given. However, the Orange County Register reports a driver has been detained for questioning, though it was unclear if they have been arrested.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Newport Beach Police Department at 949/644-3681, or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855/847-6227.
This is at least the 64th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 15th that I’m aware of in Orange County. That equals the county total for all of 2020, which had been the worst year in recent memory.
It’s also the third fatal bike crash in the county just this month.
Twenty-one of those SoCal deaths have been hit-and-runs.
Note: I’m not embedding the video, since it shows the victim being loaded into the coroner’s van, and his loved ones don’t need to see that.
Update: The Daily Pilot has identified the victim as 43-year old Costa Mesa resident Randon William Cintron. The paper reports a woman was taken into custody two miles away from the crash site; however, she has not been publicly identified.
According to the website 2urbangirls, the alleged driver was found with her car on the 2100 block of Eastbluff Drive near Corona del Mar High School, where she was detained and arrested.
Commenters to this story indicate the crash occurred on the uphill side of Jamboree Road, with no driveways or connecting roads that would justify merging into the separated bike lane.
A crowdfunding campaign has met the $20,000 goal in just one day.
Update 2: The driver has been identified as 36-year old Anaheim resident Adriana Rivera Bernal. She was reportedly high on an undisclosed drug at the time of the crash.
Bernal reportedly has a history of drug abuse, petty theft, ID theft and auto theft, as well as multiple DUIs. She’s being held on $1 million bond on charges of murder and hit-and-run, and faced arraignment Tuesday on two previous Orange County arrests.
Anyone with information is urged to call Newport Beach Police Investigator M. Keyworth at 949/644-3746.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Randon William Cintron and all his loved ones.
Thanks to Oceanside bike lawyer Richard Duquette, Mark Herda, Bill Sellin, Christian and an anonymous source for the heads-up.
