Help stop hit-and-runs, stop a Burbank equestrian bridge grab, and your Morning Links

April 10, 2014 / / 4 comments

Stop whatever you’re doing — like reading this, for instance — and sign this petition in support of AB 2197.

You’ll find my signature there among the 800 plus current signees.

The bill, currently before the state assembly, would require every car sold in California to leave the dealership with some form of license plates.

Currently, drivers have up to 90 days to license their cars. But some never do, as you may have noticed; if not, try counting all the unlicensed cars, trucks and SUVs you see the next time you ride.

And imagine how the police would find them if one were to hit you and take off, even if witnesses were able to give a description of the vehicle.

Without a plate number, hit-and-run drivers too often get away with it.

And too often, we pay the price.

………

I’m told Burbank equestrians are attempting a land grab by demanding that bikes be banned entirely from the Mariposa bridge over the LA River.

The bridge was originally built to provide bike riders, pedestrians and horse riders access to both sides of the river near Griffith Park. The proposal would prevent cyclists from even walking their bikes across the bridge, as most do now.

The City Council will take up the matter on Tuesday, May 6th at pm, Burbank City Hall, 275 E. Olive.

Thanks to Mike Kim for the heads-up.

……..

Local

A real estate developer proposes putting a 9-mile extension of the LA River bike path directly on the concrete riverbed through Downtown LA. Sounds good in theory, but wouldn’t that adversely affect plans to restore the river to a more natural state?

The next Spoke(n) Art Ride rolls this Saturday, while the USC Bicycle Coalition invites you to join them in biking to the beach the same day.

Mark your calendar for the first bike-in movie of the year on April 26th at Reseda Park on the LA River.

Pasadena gets a brief open streets, aka ciclovia, event of their own on Saturday, May 17th, while Glendale offers the Jewel City Fun and Fitness Ride the next day.

CICLE’s next bike Traffic Basics Class will be held at Caltech on June 7th.

A double-amputee Marine will arrive in Long Beach on Friday after a 5,200 mile cross country bike trip driven by prosthetic legs.

 

State

In a remarkable display of common sense, Redlands builds a new bike trail after a dispute over whether riders are allowed on an access road.

NACTO brings their Cities for Cycling Road Show to Oakland; maybe they’ll make it down here eventually. Meanwhile, Caltrans has finally joined the 21st Century by endorsing the NACTO guide in a surprise announcement.

A three-year old San Francisco boy is hit by a truck, even though he was riding his bike in a crosswalk with the walk signal and family members nearby.

Yo, Sacramento Bee — what’s wrong with this sentence? “Many drivers similarly are discourteous toward the rare cyclists who do obey rules of the road.”

Rare my ass.

 

National

A Muncie IN man is arrested for intentionally running down a bike rider, telling police that drivers have the right-of-way and cyclists were taking up the whole road. He also claimed he hit the rider because the cyclist somehow struck his driver’s side mirror — even though the rider was on his right.

A Boston writer explains why he rides a bike, and why you should, too.

Two Iraq veterans are biking from Boston to Seattle in memory of a fallen fellow Marine.

A New York Community Board bars on-street bike corrals to protest the imaginary war on cars.

An Alexandria VA writer says becoming friendlier to bikes shouldn’t come at the expense of pedestrians, something I’d have to agree with.

A Tennessee town anticipates up to 500 cyclists for the fourth annual Pedal for Paws event to raise money for spaying and neutering. So who wants to bring something like that to LA?

 

International

In tragic examples of what not to do, a London cyclist is killed jumping a red light, while another celebrated his 21st birthday by getting drunk — then riding into the path of an oncoming bus.

British Cycling says it’s succeeding in getting more women on the saddle.

A 25-year old rider gives up on pro cycling in protest of his 15-month doping suspension.

An Aussie paper gets its knickers in a serious twist over bike riding young women taking a selfie.

 

Finally…

Police in my hometown find a fleeing driver locked in the restroom of a nearby auto parts store after she runs away from a collision with a bike rider, leaving her car behind.

And would you ride a big wheel bike with hind legs instead of wheels?

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , ,

Update: San Marcos bike rider killed by cement truck

April 10, 2014 / / 5 comments

According to several sources, a bicyclist was killed in a collision with a cement mixer in San Marcos in North San Diego County this morning.

The wreck occurred at the intersection of South Las Posas Road and Grand Avenue around 9:35 this morning.

Unfortunately, very little information is available at this time, including the identify — or even the sex — of the victim, or any word on how the collision occurred. A report from the San Diego Union-Tribune could not even confirm whether the victim was a pedestrian or on a bike.

A video report from San Diego’s 10 News shows a mangled bike trapped beneath the massive truck, as well as a shrouded canopy in the crosswalk, suggesting that was where the victim’s body was found. However, it’s impossible to tell from the video where the truck was stopped in relation to the crosswalk.

Cement mixers are among the most terrifying vehicles on the road, as their lumbering size limits maneuverability and ability to stop, while giving operators only a limited view of the roadway. Even a close call can be deadly if a startled rider swerves the wrong way or tumbles beneath the wheels.

As a result, it’s long been my practice to get off the road when one approaches, rather than risk yet another too close pass or apparent failure to even see me on my bike.

Whether the driver saw this victim, or he or she even could have gotten out of the way of the truck is yet to be determined.

This is the 30th cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second in San Diego County. That’s nearly twice as many as the 16 SoCal deaths recorded this time last year.

Update: According to CBS-8, the victim was a 22-year old exchange student at nearby Palomar college.

The cement truck reportedly stopped at the red light on Las Posas before making a right on the red onto Grand Ave. Witnesses say the cyclist was riding on the sidewalk on Las Posas, then rode out into the intersection as the truck was turning; he was pronounced dead at the scene. 

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

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

SoCal cops to bike 300 miles in memory of fallen officers next month

April 9, 2014 / / Comments Off on SoCal cops to bike 300 miles in memory of fallen officers next month

Sometimes, what you’re looking for shows up exactly when you’re not looking for it.

I’ve been seeing online comments from various LAPD officers training for the Police Unity Tour of Southern California Challenge Ride. And made a mental note to ask about it after CicLAvia.

Instead, as I stopped at one of the smaller hubs, I looked over to my right. And there was a booth manned by LAPD officers promoting exactly that.

Olympic Division Senior Lead Officer Eric Mollinedo explained the purpose of the bike tour, which runs nearly 300 miles from New Jersey to Washington DC, is to raise awareness and honor officers who have died in the line of duty. As well as to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial.

I can’t think of a better cause.

I’ll let Mollinedo explain in a letter he wrote seeking donations.

Dear friends and family,

On May 10, 2014, I will join nearly 1500 law enforcement officers from throughout the country who will bicycle along varying routes, each nearly 300 miles, to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington DC. This year, the Police Unity Tour – Southern California Chapter will have nearly 100 police officers representing the California Highway Patrol, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and police departments from Alhambra, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Los Angeles, Palos Verdes Estates, and Pasadena.

On May 10th, we will depart from Somerset, New Jersey and travel through Philadelphia, Baltimore, and ultimately into Washington DC. On May 13th, we will join over 50,000 people at the National Law Enforcement Memorial Candlelight Vigil. During the ceremony, the names of every officer who died in the line of duty during 2013 will be read and his/her name officially added to the Memorial, which already contains over 19,000 fallen heroes.

The primary purpose of the Police Unity tour is to raise awareness about the police officers that have died in the line of duty. Our motto is, “We ride For Those Who Died.” The secondary purpose is to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Since its inception in 1997, the Police Unity Tour has raised over $14 million to support the Memorial. It is because of your incredible level of support and financial contributions that I will be able to participate in the 2014 Police Unit Tour and ensure that the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice are not forgotten.

I am seeking your financial support in order to allow me to ride in this incredibly worthwhile event. Each rider must raise approximately $2500 in order to participate in the Tour. The first $1850 is paid to the Police Unity Tour. This money includes a $1000 donation to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and $850 to cover support services, ground transportation, overnight lodging, and food while we ride. Donations to the Police Unity Tour are tax deductible (Tax ID# 22-3530541). If you are not concerned about the tax deduction, you may write a check directly to me, which will be applied to the cost of airfare and other expenses that I am responsible for. Any donated monies in excess of what is used for airfare and expenses will be donated to the Police Unity Tour.

…

Thank you so much for your consideration in supporting the Police Unity Tour. If you have any questions… please send me an email.

Sincerely,

Eric Mollinedo
31754@lapd.lacity.org

(Note: To protect the officer’s privacy, I’ve removed any contact information other than his email address.)

You can also donate through PayPal in the name of Mollinedo, or a long list of other officers, by clicking here.

A couple of names jumped out at me from that list; South Traffic Division bike liaison Sgt. Jon Aufdemberg and Valley Traffic Division bike liaison Sgt. Steve Egan are both listed among the participants. And both are men I can personally vouch for; you can find their email addresses on the Resources page.

One other note. Mollinaedo told me he’s riding in memory of fallen LAPD officer Nicholas Lee, who was killed in a crash on Sunset Blvd in Beverly Hills last month.

Sadly, another LAPD officer lost his life yesterday, as 27-year veteran Chris Cortijo died from injuries he suffered when his motorcycle was hit by a driver allegedly high on cocaine.

In a case of tragic irony, he had arrested over 3,000 DUI suspects before becoming victim to one.

 

Category: Bike Events, Bikes & the Law, Law Enforcement / Tags: , , , ,

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

April 9, 2014 / / One comment

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

But this short video from Maxwell Vann comes pretty close.

……….

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.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

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

April 9, 2014 / / 3 comments

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

………

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.

……..

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. 

 

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

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

April 7, 2014 / / One comment

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.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,
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