Just ride

July 23, 2012 / / 6 comments

“Man to man is so unjust.” — Bob Marley, Who the Cap Fit

My sister, who lives in Denver, called us Thursday evening.

As the call was wrapping up, she mentioned that she had to pick my 15-year old nephew up at the movies at 3 am.

Because he was on his way to a midnight showing of the new Batman movie.

The next morning, I awoke to the news that a madman had opened fire in an Aurora theater, not far from their home, during a midnight showing of the movie.

My stomach started doing flips.

It was bad enough that something like this had happened once again. Or that it happened in my home state, in a town I lived in briefly about three decades ago.

I knew there was little chance Adam had been at that particular theater at that exact time. But when an email to my sister went unanswered for longer than I could live with, I had to call to ensure he hadn’t been there.

And I can’t begin to tell you how relieved I felt when he answered the phone, and said he’d gone to a theater closer to his home. One that was, thankfully, madman and assault rifle free.

All weekend, we all were bombarded with a constant drumbeat of news bits, each adding to the still incomplete portrait of just what happened in that theater that night.

Yet none of the jabbering talking heads paused long enough to put this madness in perspective.

Twelve dead is a horrible, tragic needless waste.

But it doesn’t begin to compare with the 90 Americans who lose their lives on our streets every day. And it’s just one less than the death count of cyclists on SoCal streets this month alone.

Ninety killed every day.

Six-hundred-thirty every week.

Two-thousand-forty every month.

Yet there’s no breaking news reports for that story. No attractive anchormen or women breathlessly whipping to reporters in the field, no tidbit of meaningless information that’s not trivial to relate. No outrage or prayer vigils or 24-hour news cycles dedicated to the lives and deaths of victims of the rapidly compounding body count.

And seldom an arrest, let alone prosecution, even when the killer is known.

Instead, we just call them accidents.

Never mind that virtually every collision that occurs anywhere can be traced back to one or more people breaking the law, or operating their vehicles in a careless, distracted or intoxicated manner.

Accidents are virtually never just accidents.

Even on the rare occasions when killers are arrested, those who know them will argue that it wasn’t really their fault. If you only knew the whole story, they insist, you’d understand that he or she was really a good person who just made one little mistake, or did something so out of character it should be forgiven.

Even in cases where the driver left the victim to die on the side of the road, then ran off like a coward and hid the evidence of the collision in an attempt to avoid the consequences of his or her actions.

No outrage.

Seldom any consequences.

And even then, it usually amounts to nothing more than a limp slap on the wrist.

In the meantime, the body count continues to rise. And nothing is done to address the insanity on our streets; no politicians step forward to demand an end to our daily motor maniacal madness.

I don’t have an answer.

I believe, strongly, in a Vision Zero plan. And in placing greater responsibility on those with the greatest potential to cause injury and death.

As well as changing our laws to force drivers to stop and stay at the scene of a collision.

Yet we all wait in vain for a political leader with sufficient courage to take a stand on the issue. Let alone actually do something about it.

Then again, none of our elected leaders seems to have the courage to do something about all the Columbine/Virginia Tech/Aurora massacres that actually do make the news, either.

I wish I had a solution.

I really do.

Other than demanding that our candidates for every office go on the record for what, if elected, they would do to address these parallel, if vastly uneven, bloodbaths. Then vote accordingly in the fall.

But at least I know a way to release that knot that’s been gnawing at me since Friday morning. And salve, in some part, the overwhelming sadness.

And that’s get out on my bike.

For a moment, for a hour, for an afternoon.

Let the wind blow away whatever tears may fall.

And just ride.

My prayers for all those injured or killed in the Aurora shooting. And all the countless named and nameless victims of the madness on our street.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Car vs Bike, Injuries and Fatalities, Law Enforcement / Tags: , , , , , ,

San Diego protest ride, PCH bike meeting & Malibu Creek Restoration Ride — and that’s just this week

July 21, 2012 / / 9 comments

It’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to update the Events calendar. And there’s a lot happening this weekend, and over the next week.

But before we begin, there are a couple of events that deserve a little extra attention.

First up, as you may be aware, there have been far too many cycling fatalities this year. Especially in San Diego, which has suffered far too many biking deaths in a city that’s doing far too little about it.

And local cyclists have had enough.

They’re sponsoring a ride next Wednesday to protest these deaths, and demand action from city officials to improve safety.

Now.

San Diego, CA- Local bicyclists are organizing a memorial bike ride for riders who were struck and killed by motor vehicles in the past weeks.

Theodore Jones, a 56-year old San Diego resident, was pronounced dead on Sunday, July 8 after suffering severe head injuries when a vehicle collided with him on Tuesday, July 3rd on the 4700 block of Solola Avenue in Lincoln Park.

Angel Bojorquez, 18, of Escondido, was killed by a hit and run driver as he rode home from work in Rancho Santa Fe early in the morning of July 6, 2012. 19-year-old Jin Hyuk Byun has been arrested for the incident. Police say that Byun hit Angel with his 2008 Chevy Avalanche and left him in the bushes at the side of the road, where he died. If convicted of the charge of felony hit-and-run, Byun faces only 4 years in prison. His bail was set at only $50,000, a pittance given the senseless loss of life that he caused.

Angel’s brother Steve, said they both worked at the same place and often drove together, but Angel was riding his bike home because their schedules did not match.

These incidents raise the total of cycling fatalities in Southern California to 10 since July 4, and 39 year-to-date.

Angel Bojorquez was one of 10 fatal bike-related hit- and-runs in Southern California this year. There have been 4 just since July 6, 2012.

The people who are dying on our city streets are not just reckless or inexperienced bicyclists, they are often cautious and experienced riders who are often simply commuting to or from work and school.

Solutions to these tragedies are simple.  Protected bike lanes, reduced speed limits, safer road design, and grade-separated bike lanes will protect cyclists and give more people the opportunity to use this healthy, green, and practical transportation alternative.

The ride will take place Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 4:30pm.  It will begin at the fountain in Balboa Park and conclude at 202 C Street. in front of the City Administration Building.  At the conclusion of the ride, bicyclists will use chalk to trace their bodies to send a message to city officials that their continued failure to design safer roads is unacceptable.

………

Next up, Malibu hosts a special meeting to discuss the PCH Bike Route Improvements Project next Wednesday.

Please join us for a Special Joint Meeting with the Public Works Commission and the Public Safety Commission to review and discuss the preliminary design concepts for the Pacific Coast Highway Bike Route Improvements Project at Malibu City Hall on Wednesday, July 25, 2012.  Below are the meeting details:

When:  
Wednesday, July 25, 2012, at 6:00 p.m
 
Where:  
Multi-Purpose Room
Malibu City Hall
23825 Stuart Ranch Road, Malibu, CA 90265

After receiving insightful community input from four public workshops and conducting a critical analysis of PCH, creative solutions have been developed to address issues pertaining to cycling throughout the project corridor. The meeting will provide an overview of the recommended design strategies that will improve safety and functionality along PCH.

We hope you can join us Wednesday, July 25.  We will send out a reminder as the date gets closer.

If you have any questions or can’t make the meeting and would like to learn more about the project, please contact Elizabeth Shavelson, Public Works Analyst at (310) 456-2489 ext. 254 or via email at eshavelson@malibucity.org

………

This is the group that gave up a Saturday morning earlier this year to help repair the Malibu Creek watershed.

Finally, on Saturday the 28th, the Mountains Restoration Trust and Heal the Bay offer a second opportunity to restore critical riparian habitats within Malibu Creek State Park by riding to sites that are too far to hike to. Mountain bikers — or anyone capable of riding a dirt fire road — are invited to join them on at Malibu Creek State Park, 1925 Las Virgenes Road from 8:45 am to noon.

Click here to sign up in advance, then bring your sunscreen and be ready to work.

………

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 Bicycle Film Fest presents the Bike Movie Weekend all this weekend at the Silent Movie Theater at 611 North Fairfax Avenue. Showings include Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, The Best of the Bicycle Film Festival, the masterful documentary A Sunday in Hell and everyone’s favorite bike movie, Breaking Away (including an appearance by star Dennis Christopher) among others.

Stately Pasadena will be invaded with cyclists when the Pasadena edition of the Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia settles in for a weekend of biking events, starting with a two day expo at Pasadena City Hall, followed by rides of 29, 64 and 83-ish miles on Sunday. It all takes place Saturday, July 21st and Sunday, July 22nd; registration closes Wednesday, July 18th.

Eric Lubeck of the Caltech Bike Lab is leading a bike ride to the Eagle Rock Brewery on Saturday the 21st. The ride departs from San Pasqual and Wilson Ave on the Caltech campus at 3 pm, and returns to the same location; riders who enjoy themselves a little too much can return via Metrolink.

Also on Saturday the 21st, the High Desert Cyclists will bike to San Buenaventura State Beach for a beachfront barbeque; three starting points offer rides of 35 to 80 miles, arriving at the beach between noon and 1 pm. The ride is one way, so you’ll need to arrange transportation back to your starting point.

Sunday, July 22nd, bike-friendly CD13 city council candidate Josh Post hosts a two-hour bike ride along the L.A. River to highlight his plans for a bike-friendly L.A. and a revitalized L.A. River. Riders meet at 9 am at Oso Park, 1050 Riverside Drive.

Long Beach’s Bixby Knolls Bike Friendly Business District is sponsoring a Kidical Mass Kid Friendly Bike Ride on Sunday, July 22nd. The ride begins at Los Cerritos Park at 1 pm, and will ride 2.5 miles round trip to Georgies Place, 3850 Atlantic Ave, returning by 3 pm.

Long Beach begins a series of monthly community bike meetings to provide an overview of what’s happening bike-wise in the city, as well as offering an opportunity to provide input on city plans. The first meeting takes place from 3 to 4:30 pm on Monday, July 23rd in the City Council Chambers, 333 W. Ocean Blvd, and will be repeated on Tuesday, August 2nd from 6:30 to 8 pm at Exhibit A Gallery, 555 Pine Avenue.

Okay, so it’s not bike related, but it’s a rare combination of good wine, great food and a great cause, as Mama’s Hot Tamales hosts a Wine Tasting for a Cause on Wednesday, July 25th. For the uninitiated, Mama’s a non-profit café dedicated to teaching immigrants how to work in the food industry by serving some of L.A.’s best tamales and coffee. The event is being held to raise funds for a new freezer; 6 to 9 pm at 2124 W. 7th Street across from MacArthur Park.

On Saturday, July 28th, join Wolfpack Hustle — yes, the cycling team that beat a jet to Long Beach — for the Midnight Drag Race: Codename “The Final Effin Sayso” as single speed cyclists race through Downtown’s famed 2nd Street tunnel. Sign-up starts at 10:30 at 2nd and Hill Street, with the first heats beginning at 11 pm.

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s new Civic Engagement Committee at 6:45 pm on the last Tuesday of each month. The next meeting will be Tuesday, July 31st, at Pitfire Pizza at 2nd and Main in Downtown L.A.. Email bikinginla at hotmail dot com to be added to the email list.

The 4th Annual California Tour de Dreams 2012 will take place August 9th through 19th as cyclists will ride 540 miles from UC Berkeley to UCLA to educate communities about the passage of the California Dream Act and advocate for passage of the Federal Dream Act; register online by May 31st.

The Antelope Valley’s High Desert Cyclists hosts a series of monthly Brunch Rides on the second Saturday of each month. The comfortably paced 15 to 20 mile rides will visit a local restaurant or coffee shop for brunch before returning to the starting point; organizers promise no rider will be left behind. The next ride is scheduled for Saturday, August 11th; details to follow.

Registration has opened for the Santa Monica Museum of Art’s fourth annual Cause for Creativity: Tour da Arts on Sunday, August 19th, featuring an art focused bike tour and other bike centric artistic activities and exhibitions. Be sure to sign up early, because the free bike tour always reaches capacity long before the event.

Bikes are normally banned from the famed San Diego – Coronado Bay Bridge, but you can ride it on Sunday, August 26th, during the 5th Annual Bike the Bay, to benefit the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition.

The Eastside Bike Club invites you to join them on the Dodgertown Bike Ride on Saturday, September 1st. The ride begins with a rally starting at 3 pm at El Arca, 3839 Selig Place before riding to see the Dodgers play the Arizona Diamondbacks, with game time starting at 6:10 pm. Buy your tickets in advance on the Dodgers website.

Sunday, September 2nd marks your chance for fixed gear glory with the Lord of Griffith IV, a climbing, three lap track bike/fixed gear race in and around Griffith Park.

The Arthritis Foundation’s California Coast Classic invites you to ride down Highway 1 to raise funds for a cure. The ride rolls 525 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles from Sunday, September 9th to Sunday the 16th; a two-day option is also available on Saturday, the 15th and Sunday the 16th.

Early registration has opened for the national Pro Walk/Pro Bike® conference to be held September 10th through 13th in Long Beach. The 17th annual conference is sponsored by the National Center for Bicycling and Walking, and Project for Public Spaces.

This year’s Tour de Fat will take place on Saturday, September 15th at Los Angeles State Historic Park — and this time, it’s not scheduled on the Jewish high holidays, so everyone can attend.

Celebrate the return of Carmagedon on Saturday, September 29th as Wolfpack Hustle — yes, the cyclists who beat a Jet Blue jet from Burbank to Long Beach — invite you to ride your bikes from every point in the city to meet on the L.A. River bike path for the biggest ride ever with the All City LA River Ride; details to follow.

There’s a new date for the next CicLAvia, which has been moved up one week from October 14th to 10 am to 3 pm on Sunday, October 7th. The route has also been changed, with new spurs extending from Expo Park  in South L.A. to East L.A. and Boyle Heights.

Now here’s a great idea for a ride. The Arthritis Foundation is teaming with one of the L.A. area’s favorite Cuban bakeries and cafés to offer the first ever Tour de Porto’s starting at 8:30 am on Sunday, October 28th. The ride starts at Porto’s in Glendale, travels a short distance to the Burbank Porto’s, then down the L.A. River Bike Path to the restaurant’s Downey location. If the entry fee includes a Cubano or Medianoche, count me in.

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , , , , ,

Things you see when you’re riding — road raging cyclist and driver fist fight on Santa Monica Street

July 20, 2012 / / 12 comments

.

Don’t ask me why I went that way.

My plan was to bypass the meshugenah frenzy of Main Street traffic and shopping Main in Santa Monica on Wednesday.

But at the last moment, I decided to cut up Ocean Park Blvd from the beach, and head up Main to Abbot Kinney before making my way down the coastal bike path.

Just as I rounded the corner at Main, though, I saw a guy charge up to a little red delivery truck on the opposite side of the street, jerk the door open and pull the driver out before he began punching him.

Or more precisely, punching at him, as neither party seemed to be able to land a decent punch.

Ali vs Frazier, this was not.

As I went back and dialed 911, the pugilists seemed to calm down; the first guy went around the other side of the truck, emerging with a bike.

He looked like he was trying to ride off when the driver grabbed the rack on the back of his bike; next thing I knew they were exchanging words again, followed quickly by more punches.

Eventually, sanity seemed to prevail, and the cyclist rode off up Ocean Park, followed by the SUV. And both were gone long before the police arrived.

Then again, so was I, as I got tired of waiting and continued on my ride after the 911 operator assured me they had my phone number if they needed me.

Why the fight, I have no idea.

Judging from the position of the bike behind the truck, it could have been a near miss right hook, or the driver may have even bumped the bike just before I got there.

But that’s pure speculation. It could just as easily been the result of an ongoing dispute that started blocks earlier.

And either party could have been to blame.

However, I do know that the cyclist was legally in the wrong the moment he pulled the driver from the truck. On the other hand, the driver had the chance to walk away and chose not to, leading to round two.

In other words, they could both have faced charges if the police had arrived sooner.

So don’t be an idiot.

No matter how mad you get, or how justified you feel, just get the license number and ride away.

It beats the hell out of going to court on criminal charges.

Or maybe getting your ass kicked.

Or worse.

Thanks to Chris and the gang at the Westwood Helen’s for hooking me up with the helmet cam — and fixing up my bike so I could ride a little easier with it. And thanks to Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious for volunteering to pitch in to process the video when my Mac failed me.

Category: Car vs Bike, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , ,

It’s time to give back to Shay Sanchez, who has given so much to L.A. cyclists

July 19, 2012 / / Comments Off on It’s time to give back to Shay Sanchez, who has given so much to L.A. cyclists

It’s been an open secret for some time that Shay Sanchez, founder of C.I.C.L.E. — and one of the original voices in Southern California’s recent burst of bicycle advocacy and activism — has suffered from a severe case of Lupus.

It’s something many of us have known, but didn’t talk about in order to respect her privacy as much as possible.

But now she needs our help, after giving so much of herself to the cycling community.

It’s time to give back.

I’ll let Dan Dabek, Executive director of C.I.C.L.E., take it from here.

Dear C.I.C.L.E.ists and Bike Community Friends,

I am writing to ask for support for Shay Shanchez, the founder of C.I.C.L.E.  Those of us who knew Shay during her tenure, remember her for the love and compassion she effortlessly shared.  For those who do not know Shay, she selflessly worked to improve the community and touched people’s lives by setting them free with human-powered mobility.  Shay built C.I.C.L.E. into a thriving organization with passionate dedication, often putting in much of her personal time and resources.  Due to Shay’s long-term struggle with Lupus, she designed an innovative approach to bicycle transportation that made biking accessible for people of all ability levels – a legacy that C.I.C.L.E. continues today.

Shay has been suffering quietly for the past three years.  She has had several brushes with death and has permanently lost her mobility due to Lupus Vasculitis.  If Shay has personally, or through her organization, touched your life, I ask you to consider making a contribution to her personal Kick Butt and Get Better Fund.  Shay and her partner have incurred and are facing heavy costs to improve her quality of life. C.I.C.L.E. is also planning a community bicycle event for Shay in October.  More details will be included in the e-newsletter.  Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and donation consideration.

Sincerely,
Dan Dabek
Executive Director, C.I.C.L.E.

More About Shay

Shay Wiessler Sanchez was a vibrant and spunky 39 year old, who founded and was at the helm of her own growing and influential nonprofit organization.  But in 2009, her life took a horrible, and life-threatening, turn for the worse. Her decade-long struggle with Lupus manifested into an aggressive form of vasculitis. Her immune system suddenly decided to attack her own arteries and blood vessels.

In order to heal, Shay was forced to quit her position at her nonprofit, C.I.C.L.E., and immediately embark upon an aggressive treatment program. Working with renowned UCLA Rheumatologist Dr. Bevra Hahn, Shay commenced a daily regimen of immunosuppressant agents, including chemotherapy, in order to put a halt to the rapidly progressing disease and maintain a fighting chance.

For the past two years, she has struggled to gain control over this potentially deadly disease. With a careful and strategic medical strategy, her team of doctors have managed to bring Shay into a relatively stable condition. But the aggressive pharmaceutical protocol took an unfortunate toll on her body. The treatments, in conjunction with the disease, have left her wheelchair bound, in pain and unable to independently care for herself.  Recently, Shay has partially lost her ability to swallow and breath on her own while sleeping. Doctors believe that the cause is Myasthenia Gravis (MG), which is linked the the autoimmune diseases like Lupus.  Unfortunately, her situation continues to ebb and flow and the threat of relapse constantly looms — lupus vasculitis is a remitting and relapsing disease with no cure.

This continued and prolonged fight for Shay’s health has delivered a significant financial blow to Shay and her partner. Shay currently requires new rounds of medical treatment and a continued high level of medical care. Additional financial support from the community is readily needed to improve her drastically reduced quality of life and provide healthcare equipment and services not provide by insurance.

The Shay’s Kick Butt and Get Better Fund was launched to provide assistance with this fight — so that Shay can finally kick this beast in the belly, and get the support that she needs in order to gain a second chance with a relatively good quality of life.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Guest Columns, Health / Tags: , , , , , ,

Update: Indian Wells cyclist dies from natural causes, rather than solo fall

July 18, 2012 / / One comment

The bad news just keeps on coming.

An Indian Wells man has become the latest bike rider to die in what has become a truly horrible month for SoCal cyclists.

According to mydessert.com, the rider, described only as a man in his early 60s, was riding east on Miles Avenue near Washington Street when he apparently struck a curb and fell, suffering critical injuries. He died sometime later at a local hospital.

A sheriff’s deputy suggests that he may have had some sort of medical condition that caused him to fall; however, no details were released and cause of death is being withheld pending an autopsy and toxicology reports.

This is the 40th cycling fatality in Southern California this year, the sixth in Riverside County and the second in the past two months in the small community of Indian Wells. It’s also the 11th bike-related death in this very tragic month of July; over a quarter of this year’s fatalities have occurred this month.

And we still have two weeks to go.

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

Update: The victim has been identified as 61-year old Gordon West of La Quinta. According to the coroner’s office, his death was due to natural causes, rather than a fall.

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

Fontana BOLO alert, memorial services for Veluz-Abraham, and yet another pro rider lets us down.

July 18, 2012 / / 2 comments

Just get out and ride. You’ll thank me later.

Sometimes, I don’t even know what to say.

It seems like the news has been nothing but bad for the last few weeks. Topped off by yet another of cycling’s most popular riders pulled from the Tour de France after failing a drug test — and yes, I’m looking at you, Frank Schleck.

It’s gotten to the point that I’m almost afraid to read the news for fear of what I’m going to find. And who’s going to disappoint us next.

Fortunately, there’s a solution.

Just get out and ride your bike.

Now.

No, seriously. If you can get away even for a few minutes, stop what you’re doing and get out on your bike. And just forget about everything for awhile.

And yes, I do mean everything.

Just take a few minutes, or a few dozen miles, to remember why you fell in love with riding in the first place.

If you can’t get out now, find time to get a ride in before the day is over.

Trust me, you’ll feel better when you’re done.

And the news will keep until you get back.

………

We’re still dealing with the aftermath of last week’s extreme rash of cycling deaths, as witnesses identify the suspect vehicle in the hit-and-run death of Fontana cyclist Alex Silva.

Authorities ask you to be on the lookout for dark red early 2000s model Chevy Corvette convertible with damage to a left front bumper and fender, as well as damage to the convertible top, windshield and driver’s side window.

And Kevin M reveals that services have been announced for popular cyclist Willis Veluz-Abraham, who was killed in a solo cycling fall in the hills above Calabasas on Saturday — possibly as a result of recently installed rumble strips.

VIEWING-Tuesday, July 24th, 5pm-9pm, Mission Hills Mortuary, 11160 Stranwood Avenue, Mission Hills, CA 91345

VIGIL/MEMORIAL-Wednesday, July 25th, 6:30pm-9pm, Our Lady of Peace Church, 15444 Nordoff Street, North Hills, CA 91343

FUNERAL MASS & BURIAL-Thursday, July 26th, 10am, Our Lady of Peace Church, 15444 Nordoff Street, North Hills, CA 91343 (the procession from the church back to Mission Hills mortuary/cemetery will be escorted by members of Willis’ Bicycle Club)

………

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to bike racing, Frank Schleck becomes the latest to fail a drug test, this time for a banned diuretic, and is pulled from the Tour de France by his team. He says if the B sample also tests positive, he’ll charge someone with poisoning him.

No, seriously.

Maybe he was force-fed some Spanish beef.

In light of Sunday’s tack attack in the TdF, Dave Moulton considers the Dick Head factor. A 49ers fan site looks at notable cheaters over the years — including the rider who briefly won the 1904 Tour.

And Lance takes his fight against doping charges to a higher forum.

………

Clif Bar is giving the LACBC a second chance to raise $10,000 by logging your rides for the rest of the month. A new LA startup connects people with shared interests, like bike riding, for instance. Santa Monica’s Bike Center proves successful as it moves into a busy summer season. SaMo’s new police chief wants to ensure traffic does not impede bicycle and pedestrian safety; I think I like her already. Matt LeBlanc and Ali Larter ride a tandem on camera. Examined Spoke says he wants a lane of his own just like pedestrians enjoy. More on the ghost bike installed for Larry Schellhase in Redondo Beach. Long Beach begins a series of monthly community meetings to discuss bike issues next Monday.

Locations have been selected for Anaheim’s new bike share program, operated by the same company that will run L.A.’s upcoming program. Riverside police are looking for volunteers, including a citizen bike patrol. A 16-year old Oxnard cyclist is found unconscious after an apparent solo fall, two days after another rider was critically injured in a collision with a suspected drunk driver. Sunnyvale becomes the third city to pass an L.A. style anti-harassment ordinance. How long do drivers park in San Francisco bike lanes? Nearly a dozen fixies bite the dust as a San Francisco driver plows through a bike coral.

Ten things to know about the new federal transportation bill. Rather than covering women’s sports, Outside magazine asks why the media doesn’t. An Oregon prison inmate makes a brief escape by bike. An Illinois cyclist charges racial discrimination after getting a ticket for riding his bike through a construction zone, bizarrely comparing his case to Trayvon Martin. New York’s bike share program is delayed another month. Virginia’s Cookie Lady, famous for providing fresh cookies or lodging for passing cyclists, has passed away at age 91. The Orlando Sentinel says keep bikes off freeways.

A UK cop is charged with writing at least 350 fake tickets for cycling offenses — including one to a man who hasn’t been able to ride a bike for 15 years. Seven people have been arrested for sabotaging the famed Paris Vélib’ bike share program. A noted Mossad spy and former head of their assassination unit is killed when he’s hit by a truck while riding his bike; anyone want to lay odds on whether that was an accident?

Finally, forget carbon or titanium, your next bike could be made almost entirely from cardboard. But with a manufacturing cost of less than $12, it might make a practical spare. Or provide practical transportation for impoverished regions.

And there’s nothing funny about that.

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