Move along, nothing to see here

June 18, 2013 / / 5 comments

I have to beg your forgiveness.

Trying to follow up on the recent rash of bicycling fatalities ate up the time I would have used to write today’s post, which was intended to be a rant over the City Council’s repeated rescheduling of the vote to repaint the Spring Street green bike lanes.

Because it’s looking more and more like this issue is being hammered out behind closed doors. And while the council may or may not be talking with representatives of the film industry, they sure as hell aren’t talking to us.

And that scares me.

Meanwhile, if you haven’t seen them, I’ve updated the stories on the death of the 25-year old Los Angeles resident killed while riding near Caltech, and the 12-year old killed in Camarillo on Sunday.

Just a couple other quick notes.

Damien Newton offers a great recap of the issues involved in the debate over repainting the Spring Street green bike lanes, pointing out the fallacies offered by the other side — which is the nicest way I can put it.

A new study shows California drivers want bike lanes just like we do. I’ve long argued that bike lanes provide as much benefit to drivers as they do for cyclists; thanks to Monet Diamonte for the link.

Yes, the Bible teaches us to share with the less fortunate. But if you encounter a bear while riding your bike, it’s probably best not to offer it any barbecue from your church picnic.

And if you’re too drunk to stay on your bike, you might not want to ride away from the police while making siren noises with your mouth.

Just a suggestion.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Update: Twelve-year old bike rider killed in Camarillo; fourth SoCal bike death in just four days

June 16, 2013 / / 5 comments

And that makes four.

Four bicycling deaths across the northern SoCal region, from San Bernardino County through Pasadena and, now, Camarillo.

All in just four tragic days. And all at roughly the same time of day.

The Ventura County Star reported earlier tonight that a 12-year old boy was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after he was hit by a vehicle in a possible hit-and-run.

Now KABC-7 is reporting that the victim has died of his injuries; they also say that police have spoken with the driver.

The collision occurred at the intersection of Carmen Drive and East Edgemont Drive around 5:10 pm Sunday. No information yet on how the collision occurred, and the victim has not been publicly identified.

KABC-7 reports the victim was not wearing a bike helmet; California law requires one for any bike rider under the age of 18. Whether it could have done any good in this case remains to be seen.

This follows a pair of teenage riders killed in train collisions in Montclair and Upland on Thursday and Sunday, respectively, and a cyclist killed while riding near Caltech in Pasadena on Saturday. Oddly, each of the collisions took place between 5:10 and 5:30 pm.

This is the 35th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth in Ventura County since the first of the year; that compares to three bicycling deaths in Ventura County for all of last year.

My prayers and condolences go out to the victim and all his family and friends. 

Update: Details are still sketchy, and no ID on the victim yet. However, KTLA-5 reports the boy was riding west on Carmen Drive with two friends when he tried to cross the street and was hit by a 2000 Toyota Avalon driven by a 79-year old woman. 

Update 2: The Ventura County Star identifies the victim as 12-year old Joseph Johnson of Camarillo; unfortunately, any other details are hidden behind a subscriber-only paywall.

Update 3: A police report corrects the information in the KTLA report above. According to the report, Johnson and his friends were riding salmon, headed north on the southbound side of Carmen Drive, when he cut across Carmen at Edgemont Drive, where he was hit by the car.

Based on the description, it sounds like it may have been a difficult collision for the driver to avoid, as the bike would have darted across her path from an unexpected direction. And depending on the speed of the car, which is not noted in the report, a helmet may actually have made a difference in this case.

The report notes that the collision is still under investigation, and asks anyone with information to contact the Camarillo Police Department at (805) 388-5100.

Oddly, it also asks to hear from people who are “aware of anyone that might have been involved in the accident,” suggesting that there may have been another vehicle involved, which would explain the early reports that this could have been a hit-and-run.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,

18-year bike rider killed in Fontana train collision; 2nd San Bernardino County train death in 3 days

June 16, 2013 / / 5 comments

This may be too much of a tragic coincidence.

For the second time in just three days, a San Bernardino County teenager has been killed in a collision with a train while riding his bike.

According to the Fontana Herald News, 18-year old Fontana resident Carlos Morales Guzman was riding north on Beech Avenue above Ceres Ave when he attempted to cross the train tracks and was hit by a westbound train. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:20 pm.

A street view shows a traditional railroad crossing arm; if it was working, Guzman may have tried to ride around it.

Remarkably, the collision occurred at exactly the same time of day, and on what appears to be the same tracks, as the collision that killed 19-year old Brendan Allen Adams just three days earlier, less than 20 miles away.

This is the 34th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth in San Bernardino County. Guzman is the fourth person killed in a collision with a train since the first of the year, and as noted, the second in just three days.

It’s also the third cycling death in the last three days, following the death of a 25-year old Los Angeles man in Pasadena on Saturday, just 15 minutes after the wreck that took Guzman’s life.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Carlos Guzman and all his family and loved ones.

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

Update: 25-year old bike rider killed near Caltech in Pasadena

June 15, 2013 / / 28 comments

More bad news.

According to the Pasadena Star-News, a bike rider described only as a man in his 30’s was hit and killed while riding near Caltech in Pasadena this evening.

The paper reports the collision took place at Del Mar Blvd and Wilson Avenue just north of the campus about 5:30 pm; the L.A. Times places the location mid-block between Wilson and Michigan Ave, with the time of the collision around 6 pm.

The victim was taken to Huntington Hospital where he died from his injuries. The driver of the compact car remained at the scene and was reportedly cooperating with police.

No other details are available at this time; no word on which way the rider was headed or how the collision occurred.

This is the 33rd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year; remarkably, 17 of those deaths have been in Los Angeles County. This is also the third bike death in Pasadena since 2011.

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

Update: The Star-News reports that the victim, who still has not been publicly identified pending notification of next of kin, was a 25-year old resident of Los Angeles. 

According to the paper, he was riding west on Del Mar with a female companion when he was struck from behind, with the force of the impact throwing him into a parked car.

The woman he was riding with was not struck by the car.

Update 2: The Caltech Bike Lab is sponsoring a petition calling for better east-west bike routes in Pasadena, including sharrows on Del Mar; whether it would have helped in this case may never be known. 

Update 3: In a comment below, a blogger links to her thoughts about witnessing the collision. According to her, the victim was thrown across the road to collide with the parked car before landing crumpled on the sidewalk, suggesting an impact of significant force. 

Update 4: The victim has been identified as 25-year old Los Angeles resident Phillip O’Neill. 

……..

When I learn about a case like this, in which the victim has not been publicly identified, I pray it’s not someone I know. And feel guilty, because even if I don’t know who it is, someone else will.

Because it’s never just a stranger on a bike.

It’s always someone’s son or daughter, mother or father, sister, brother, cousin, nephew, co-worker or friend. It’s someone someone loves, or likes or maybe even can’t stand, if only just a little.

It’s never just a statistic, regardless of those stats I keep.

It is a real person who was here, and now, suddenly and without warning, isn’t. A meteoric flash of life snuffed out in a relative instant, leaving a gaping hole in the lives of those left behind.

It’s always heartbreaking. It’s always tragic. It’s always a loss beyond our comprehension, if only because we can never know what might have been.

And it is always — always — unnecessary.

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

Busy weekend, with LACBC Surf City Ride, WeHo Bike/Ped Workshop & Repsodos Ride on North Fig

June 15, 2013 / / Comments Off on Busy weekend, with LACBC Surf City Ride, WeHo Bike/Ped Workshop & Repsodos Ride on North Fig

Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

The Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee meets at 7 pm on the first Tuesday of each even-numbered month; the next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 6th at the Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall Community Room, 6501 Fountain Ave.

Join the LACBC and Where to Bike Los Angeles Saturday morning for a 45-mile Surf City ride along the OC coast. Meet at 8:30 am in Bixby Park, 130 Cherry Avenue in Long Beach; rolling at 9 am.

West Hollywood is hosting a Bike/Pedestrian Plan Workshop today, June 15th from 9 am to 11:30 am at the WeHo library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd; the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition encourages anyone who rides or walks in the city to attend to help make the city’s new Pedestrian & Bicycle Mobility Plan as powerful as possible.

Flying Pigeon Bike Shop and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition team up for a Raspados Ride on North Figueroa on Saturday the 15th to promote bicycling in the local area, and support proposed bike lanes on North Figueroa. Riders meet at 3 pm at Flying Pigeon, 3404 N. Figueroa.

Sunday the 16th, Flying Pigeon rides to Downtown’s Good Girl Dinette for their monthly Get Sum Dim Sum Ride. Meet at Flying Pigeon, 3404 N. Figueroa at 10 am, rolling at 10:30.

Tuesday the 18th, the City Council is scheduled to vote on restoring the successful Spring Street green bike lanes in the face of intense opposition from the film industry. This vote has been delayed twice already, which suggests behind the scenes machinations that may not bode well for L.A. cyclists. The Council session begins at 10 am at 200 North Spring Street in Downtown L.A.

CD4 Council Member Tom LaBonge hosts his annual Tour LaBonge each Wednesday through August 17th. The next ride meets at 6 pm at Fire Station 88 at 5101 Sepulveda Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. If you go, ask him why he opposes the proposed bike lanes on Lankershim Blvd and the green bike lanes on Spring Street, and has been a major impediment to the long-delayed Bike Friendly Street on 4th Street. If he’s our friend, we don’t need any enemies.

Metro is co-sponsoring a series of bike traffic skills classes throughout the summer, with the first one taking place on Saturday, June 22nd in Claremont, followed by Los Angeles on Friday and Saturday, the 28th and 29th.

It’s time to retake our streets once again as the next edition when CicLAvia rolls down L.A.’s iconic Wilshire Blvd on Sunday, June 23rd, with a focus on exploring the city’s art and architecture. The ride rolls, walks, scoots and skates from Downtown to Fairfax — on both sides this time —  with extended hours from 9 am to 4 pm, and pedestrian-only zones on both ends. CicLAvia returns to an expanded Downtown route on Sunday, October 6th.

Once you’ve taken in CicLAvia, head over to City Hall for the first ever Wolfpack Hustle Civic Center Criterium, qualifying starts at noon, with races rolling at 4 pm. Note: Prize money is being split evenly between the four races; more racers are needed for the women’s category.

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s Civic Engagement Committee meets at 6:45 pm on the last Tuesday of each month. This month’s meeting will take place at the Pitfire Pizza at 2nd and Main in Downtown L.A. Now that the election cycle is over, the meeting will focus on where the committee will go from here. The meeting is open to everyone, and you don’t have to be an LACBC member to participate; email bikinginla at hotmail dot com to be added to the discussion list.

On Saturday the 29th, Metro, C.I.C.L.E. and Walk ‘n’ Rollers combine to kick off the summer with a 14-mile trek along the Ballona Creek Bike Path from Culver City to the Sea. Meet at the La Cienega / Jefferson Expo Line Station at 10:30 am, rolling at 11. Alternative start points meet on the bike path at 11:20 am at Overland Ave, and 11:45 am at Centinela.

On Saturday, July 6th, the Red5 Yellow7 Gallery hosts the closing of Passable Atlas, an exhibit by artists Sean Deyoe and Nathan Snider recreating four years of The Passage of a Few People Through a Rather Brief Moment in Time, a weekly Wednesday night bike ride exploring far-flung areas of the city. The exhibit will be followed by a Special Passage ride beginning at 8:30 pm at 4357 Melrose Ave in the HelMel Bicycle District.

Anyone willing to make the trip to the Bay Area may want to head to Oakland’s Jack London Square on Saturday, July 20th for the third annual Pedalfest, a free celebration of bikes, cycling, food family and fun; the event takes place from 11 am to 7 pm. Thanks to prinzrob for the heads-up.

Here’s your chance to bike the famed Las Vegas strip and the surrounding Las Vegas Valley, with the 6th Annual RTC Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo Pinarello on Saturday, September 21st. The event will offer routes for riders of all levels, from a 17-mile ride to 60-mile Metric Century and a 103-mile Gran Fondo; the longer rides will visit the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and Lake Mead.

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , ,

Update: Bike rider killed by train in Upland; rash of NorCal and Central California bike deaths continues

June 14, 2013 / / 4 comments

Just when it looked like death may have taken a sabbatical from SoCal cycling, word comes of a rider killed in a collision with a train in Upland on Thursday.

Very few details are available at this time. However, according to the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, the male rider was hit by a Metrolink train near Benson Avenue and Eighth Street around 5:15 pm. The victim, who has not been publicly identified, apparently died at the scene.

A series of photos from the scene offer no additional information, other than showing a badly mangled bike.

The death is just the second SoCal cycling fatality this month, after a swarm of four fatalities in an eight-day period between May 25 and June 2nd, including bike racer Chris Cono, and Susan Stripko in Huntington Beach.

This is the 32nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, compared to 23 this time last year, and the third in San Bernardino County. This is also the third bike rider killed by a train since the first of the year.

Unless the safety equipment malfunctions in some way, or the rider is somehow forced onto the tracks, there is simply no excuse for a collision with a train, which is confined to a clearly defined space on the tracks. Never ride under or around the warning gates or try to beat a train across the tracks.

I speak from experience, having barely beaten a train in a foolish attempt to race it across the tracks when I was a child.

A lesson I survived by just inches. And will never forget.

Update: The Daily Bulletin places the actual location as Montclair, and identifies the victim as 19-year old Pomona resident Brendan Allen Adams. Witnesses saw Adams riding south on Benson towards the train tracks, where he either ignored or didn’t see the crossing arms, for whatever reason. 

The Press-Enterprise confirms that Adams was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Update 2: The Inland News Today confirms Adams attempted to ride around the crossing arm. Never a smart thing to do.

My prayers and sympathy for Brendan Adams and his loved ones.

……..

This has been a horrible week for bike riders Northern and Central California as well, as a woman cyclist became collateral damage when two trucks collided in San Jose, and one fell on her — the 6th bicycling death in just the last eight days, following fatalities in Sacramento, Dublin, Elk Grove, San Jose and the Modesto area.

Clearly, something is going on up there.

And it’s not good.

……..

One other quick note.

The City Council vote on restoring Downtown’s Spring Street green bike lanes in the face of film industry lies opposition has been postponed until Tuesday’s council session.

Mark your calendar and be there if you can. Because it will take all of us to convince the council to values the lives and safety of bicyclists over the simple convenience of filmmakers.

And you can hear the LACBC’s Planning and Policy Director Eric Bruins, LADOT’S Nate Baird and others discuss the bikelash over L.A. bike lanes with Warren Olney on KCRW’s Which Way, L.A.?

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