Settle in for your weekend reading list, and mark your calendar for a long list of bike events

March 3, 2012 / / One comment

This weekend is supposed to be perfect for riding. So grab your bike and get out for a ride; this will still be here when you get back.

Or scroll down to find some things to ride to this weekend.

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Streetsblog offers a heartrending look at the reasons that keep Florence-Firestone kids off their bikes, along with still more blocking of the Spring Street green bike lane. Flying Pigeon asks if we should be surprised that drivers ignore Downtown’s green bike lane and trucks block it; Flying Pigeon’s Josef Bray-Ali and CicLAvia’s Joe Linton promote bikes to students in Cypress Park. KNBC-4 looks at this weekend’s Tour de Taste. West L.A.’s Bikerowave will host classes in bike commuting and repair. Congratulations to Gary Kavanagh on his selection to represent Santa Monica on the Expo Line Bicycle Advisory Committee. Plans have been unveiled for Santa Monica’s Colorado Esplanade project, including bike lanes in both directions and connections to other bikeways. Glendale considers green bike lanes of their own. A look at our bike-friendly neighbor to the south. Long Beach’s biking expats say goodbye to En Zed before making their way back home. The Daily News says Measure R funds should be used to build the newly passed county bike plan.

San Diego takes a bike census to aid future planning. A car plowed through a line of Occupy demonstrators at UC Santa Cruz, and may have deliberately targeted a cyclist. A Bakersfield cyclist survives a slug in the back from a passing SUV. A Fresno rider is killed in a collision with a big rig truck; reading between the lines, it sounds like a right hook. The National Handmade Bicycle Show takes place this weekend in Sacramento. A new bike trail is planned to connect Petaluma and Sebastopol. Former LADOT Bike Blog meister Christopher Kidd looks at the future of Safe Routes to Schools. Chico police recover $125,000 worth of stolen bikes.

Amendments to the Senate Transportation bill restore dedicated funding for bike and pedestrian projects while adding more local control; still no hope for the draconian House bill. That (non)merger of the nation’s three leading cycling organizations will be a complete joining of all three while retaining key programs. The winners of the Alliance for Biking and Walking’s People Powered photo contest have been announced; submissions will be made available for download. Bicycling offers a buyer’s guide for entry-level roadies. A Craigslist bike for sale ad leads to marriage in Salt Lake City. Amazingly, Oregon cyclists are blamed for causing considerable road damage; makes you wonder what those roads are made of. The battle over e-bike deliveries in NYC. How the NYPD botched an investigation into a cyclist’s death and blamed the victim — again. A Connecticut judge revokes a teenage driver’s license for life following a serious collision that left a passenger in a coma for weeks afterwards, and yes, I said for life; if only California judges had the courage to do that here.

The next time someone complains about cyclists breaking the law, show them this from Calgary. London’s department of transportation could face a manslaughter charge for the death of a cyclist on a dangerous stretch of road; thanks to David Huntsman for the heads-up. London police seek a cyclist who attacked two pedestrians at random, leaving one in a coma. The design chief for Rolls Royce is found guilty of causing a cyclist’s death. The politics of blaming the victim. Carlton Reid looks at Ripley Road, the Mecca of all good cyclists in the late 1800s. An Aussie woman has lost her driver’s license and faces seizure of her possessions for refusing to wear a bike helmet.

Finally, if you find pedestrians in the bike lane, please don’t treat them like drivers treat us, okay? Bikeyface says we have all the answers.

And it’s not bike related, but this is one of the best front page screw-ups I’ve seen.

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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 City of Los Angeles will be hosting a series of two Mobility Think Lab Workshops to help solve the city’s mobility problems, on Saturday, March 3rd in L.A. and Pacoima.

Flying Pigeon’s monthly Brewery Ride will head to Downtown’s Little Bear on Saturday, March 3rd; riders meet at the Flying Pigeon LA bike shop, 3714 North Figueroa Street, at 3 pm with a 3:30 departure. Single speed beach cruisers are available to rent for $20. The Spoke(n) Art Ride takes place on Saturday the 10th, with the Get Sum Dim Sum ride on Sunday, March 18th.

Sunday, March 4th, the LACBC rolls out it’s first Tour de Taste, offering an easy, guided 12 mile bike ride along Ballona Creek, as well as food and drinks from some of the area’s best restaurants. The event kicks off at Media Park at the corner of Culver and Venice Blvds starting at 10 am, with rides departing every hour. Cost is $65 for LACBC members and $95 for non-members, with discounted membership and ticket available for $120 (pro tip — become an LACBC member before the 4th and save $20); all proceeds go to create a more bikable Los Angeles. A feeder ride will take place starting at 8:30 am; riders assemble at 8 am in front of the Metro Station at Wilshire and Western.

I’ll be there volunteering at the LACBC booth, so stop in and say hi; if you’re lucky, the Corgi may be with me part of the day.

Former City Council President and current mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti invites you to the official opening of the new Sunset Triangle Plaza at 11 am on Sunday, March 4th, at the intersection of Griffith Park and Sunset Boulevards in Silver Lake.

Also on the 4th, the OC to LA Dream Ride 2012 will roll from El Centro Cultural de Mexico in Santa Ana to Lincoln Heights, with a welcoming celebration at Solidarity Ink. The ride celebrates the passage of the California Dream Act while connecting the immigration rights movement with the cycling community.

Fight back against hit-and-run on Tuesday, March 6th, when cyclists led by Don Ward, aka Roadblock, take up the issue with the L.A. Police Commission at 9 am at LAPD’s new headquarters at 1st and Main Streets Downtown. Riders are asked to meet at the nearby Starbucks one block east on 1st prior to the meeting.

Also on Tuesday the 6th, the Beverly Hills City Council will take up the topic of bike routes, routes and lanes at their 1:30 pm meeting, 455 N. Rexford Drive, Room 400.

Friday, March 9th, the recently reinvigorated C.I.C.L.E. sponsors its free ArtNight Ride, including visits to the Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena Museum of California Art, Side Street Projects, Pasadena Museum of History and the Armory for the Arts. Meet at Memorial Park Pasadena at the intersection of Raymond Ave and Holly Street at 6:30 pm, with the ride leaving promptly at 7 pm.

The 7th annual Tour de Murrieta takes place the weekend of Friday, March 9th through Sunday the 11th in Murrieta, CA; the team competition honors fallen pro cyclist Jorge Alvarado.

Thursday, March 15th, support cycling on the Westside with Bikes – Ballads – Beers: A Benefit for the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition from 7 pm to midnight at the Little Bar, 757 S. La Brea.

The Culver City Bicycle Coalition invites you for an easy ride with the city’s mayor on Monday, March 19th, starting at Syd Kronenthal Park, 3459 McManus Ave, at the east end of the Ballona Creek bike path.

The 28th Annual Redlands Bicycle Classic will take place on March 22nd through 25th in Redlands, offering one of the state’s most intense cycling competitions, as well as a joyful celebration of bicycling for cyclists of all ages.

Streetsblog LA hosts another fundraiser at the Library Ale House on Tuesday, March 27th, 2911 Main Street in Santa Monica. Streetsblog events are always fun and the money goes to keeping us all informed about local transportation issues; great food and beer just makes it that much better.

If you’re looking for a serious challenge, consider the CORPScamp Death Valley, five days of biking in Death Valley National Park featuring 300 miles or more of riding, including the Hell’s Gate Hundred, March 27th through 31st.

If you enjoyed the last CicLAvia, you’ll love the next one on Tax Day, April 15th from 10 am to 3 pm; the route will follow the same expanded course as last October’s.

It might be worth the long drive to Davis CA for the first ever Legends Gran Fondo sponsored by the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame on May 6th, featuring America’s first Tour de France winner Greg LeMond — the man whose name is on my bike —  as well as former World Champion Ruthie Mathes, Olympic silver medalist Nelson Vails, and other members of the Hall of Fame.

May is Bike Month. The first National Bike to School Day is scheduled for May 9th, with National Bike to Work Week taking place on May 14th through 18th, and National Bike to Work Day on Friday the 18th.

L.A.’s favorite fundraising bike ride rolls out on Sunday, June 10th with the 12th Annual L.A. River Ride; this one just keeps getting bigger and better every year. Six different rides, from an easy family ride to a fast, flat century. Funds go to support the LACBC in building a better, more bikeable L.A. County; save $10 if you register by May 15th.

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. Get an early registration discount through April 30th.

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

Fighting back against hit-and-run in L.A., and a tree points the finger at the car that killed it

March 1, 2012 / / 6 comments

Not all victims of hit-and-run are human.

Hit-and-run is a serious problem in L.A.

And from what I’ve seen, pretty much everywhere else, too.

According to LAPD statistics, a driver flees the scene in a staggering one out of every three reported collisions in this megalopolis we call home.

Last year alone, the city saw 18,819 hit-and-run collisions. That includes 36 cases where someone — another motorist, a cyclist* or pedestrian — was left to die in the street. Along with another 134 people severely injured and 852 with less serious injuries.

I have my own thoughts on how to address it at a state level. Like automatically revoking the license of anyone who leaves the scene of a collision. And impounding the vehicle as evidence pending a trial — then seizing and selling it upon conviction, with any proceeds going to the victim.

After all, you don’t let a bank robber keep the gun he used.

State law already allows a car to be seized by the state if it’s used to solicit prostitution. And isn’t leaving a victim bleeding in the street a little serious than trolling for a blowjob?

Meanwhile, writing for KCET, L.A. bike advocate Don Ward — better known as Roadblock — has his own thoughts on how to address it on a local level.

  1. Elevate the status of hit-and-run against cyclists and pedestrians to that of assault, regardless of the severity of the injury.
  2. License numbers must be run immediately, and a patrol car deployed to the owner’s home to gather evidence.
  3. Saying “I didn’t see them” should be an admission of guilt, not an excuse — especially when it involves a pedestrian in a painted crosswalk.
  4. Speed limits must be enforced by all means possible.

He’s planning to take it up with the L.A. Police Commission at their next meeting at 9 am Tuesday at police headquarters, 1st and Main Street, across from Downtown City Hall. Ward is asking cyclists to meet him at the Starbucks one block east of police headquarters at 1st and Los Angeles Street before the meeting to discuss strategy.

You may think you have more important things to do that day.

But chances are, you don’t.

Especially if you don’t want to find yourself lying in the street one day, watching the car that hit you speed off into the distance.

*LAPD stats show four cyclists killed in hit-and-run collisions in 2011, while my records show three out of the city’s five cycling fatalities were hit-and-run.

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The key to solving any hit-and-run is identifying the driver.

But sometimes, it’s a little easier than others. Especially when the victim grabs the license plate of the vehicle that killed it.

Photos courtesy of the LACBC's and CicLAvia's Bobby Gadda

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Law Enforcement / Tags: , , , , ,

79-year old cyclist killed Wednesday in Huntington Beach

March 1, 2012 / / 6 comments

A 79-year old bicyclist has died after being hit by a car in Huntington Beach.

According to the Orange County Register, Westminster resident Ernest Klein was riding east on Bolsa Avenue, in an industrial area west of Able Lane, just after 11:15 am Wednesday when he was hit by a 2009 BMW. He was taken to UCI Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The paper reports that the driver remained at the scene, and that the investigation continues. Unfortunately, there’s no information suggesting how the collision occurred or who might have been at fault.

But it breaks my heart to think that someone still active enough to be riding at that age has to lose his life in something as needless as a traffic collision.

This is the ninth cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth in Orange County. That compares with 13 SoCal fatalities in the first two months of 2011, and four in Orange County this time last year.

My heart and prayers go out to Klein’s family and loved ones. 

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

Two killer drivers — one stays at the scene and gets four years, one flees and gets no jail time

February 29, 2012 / / 2 comments

So let me get this straight.

A woman with 16 previous tickets runs down a cyclist while texting and drunk, and gets off with just four years.

Evidently, Danae Marie Miller got an early birthday gift. Although I’m sure she doesn’t think so.

Miller plead guilty on Tuesday to a single count of felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated. She had been facing a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison; she accepted a plea deal for less than half of that.

Her victim, Amine Britel, a world-class triathlete as well as a popular local businessman, was riding in the bike lane on San Joaquin Road just east of Spyglass Hill Road in Newport Beach last February 21st when he was run down from behind by Miller’s car — just one year and one week from the day of her sentencing.

Why she was even on the road that night is question our lenient traffic courts will have to answer. Or would, if anyone was paying enough attention to ask the right questions.

In the six years between 2005 and 2011, Miller received six tickets for speeding or driving too fast for conditions, as well as tickets for driving the wrong way on a one-way street, failure to stop at the stop sign and two tickets for talking on a cell phone while driving.

A record like that should have been more than enough to get her off the road. If the courts had actually taken her obvious refusal to obey basic traffic laws seriously, a gifted athlete might still be alive today.

Instead, she was allowed to keep driving until she killed someone. Now her license has finally been revoked for three years as part of her sentence.

Just a tad too late, I’d say.

Despite initially claiming that she hadn’t been drinking, Miller had a BAC of over .10 nearly two hours after the collision after getting off work at the Zinc Café in Corona del Mar. And despite claiming that she never texts while driving, records showed that she had been texting just moments before killing Britel — though not, apparently, when she actually hit him.

Evidently, you’re not considered legally distracted unless you text WTF! at the exact moment you kill someone.

According to an anonymous source who attended the sentencing, the real surprise was that the two families seemed to be supportive of one another at the conclusion of the case, despite earlier anger.

The surprise in the Miller case is that the families, Miller’s and Britel’s, were amicable after the sentencing, talking with each other in the courthouse hallway. After the daggers I saw fly at Miller from the two members of the Britel’s family who had shown up at the prelim last December, I certainly would never have expected this, especially after the oral impact statements provided to the judge before sentencing. Miller’s family, however, had been very supportive of her, showing up at all her court appearances, so maybe this support will give her a shot at redemption, a chance to be a useful, productive, harmless member of society in the future; even Britel’s family seems to be hoping for this.

We can hope.

Danae Miller is just 23 years old, and spent Tuesday night in the Orange County Jail pending transfer to state prison. With good behavior, she could be back on the streets in a few years.

Whether she will have learned her lesson by then remains to be seen.

Her birthday is in a few weeks; she’ll celebrate it behind bars. Hopefully, she’ll appreciate the early gift she got in court on Tuesday.

Thanks to Jeffrey Fylling and David Huntsman for the heads-up.

Update: I neglected to mention that two civil suits have been filed against Miller for the death of Amine Britel; they were recently consolidated into a single case.

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In yet another example of our courts coddling killer drivers, the same anonymous source tells me that Renato Demartino entered a surprise guilty plea on Tuesday for the hit-and-run death of 22-year old Marco Acuapan.

Acuapan was also riding in a marked bike lane, on Walnut Avenue near Browning Avenue, on November 17, 2010 when he was rear-ended by red 2010 Mustang. The driver, later identified as Demartino, fled the scene, leaving his victim lying in the street with severe head injuries.

Acuapan was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where he remained in a coma until his death last April.

According to my source, Demartino was sentenced to just two years in state prison. And even that was stayed, meaning he is unlikely to spend a single night in jail.

Thankfully, his license was revoked for three years, since the court saw fit to let him out.

Seriously, he killed a man and fled the scene. And didn’t even get a slap on the wrist for heartlessly leaving another human being to die in the streets.

May I politely ask what the f*** is wrong with our legal system?

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One brief bit of good news.

The County of Los Angeles now has a shiny new bike plan, as the Board of Supervisors passes it on a vote of four to zero; Supervisor Mike Antonovich abstained because of questions about funding the plan.

And a planned Altadena bike boulevard was given teeth when the Supervisors voted to require traffic calming measures, rather than merely allowing as called for in the plan.

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

Does it matter if you’re right when a wrong-headed legal system says you’re not?

February 28, 2012 / / 4 comments

A must-read from bike lawyer Bob Mionske on a failed legal case in Mississippi, in which a judge blames a cyclist for the negligence of the driver that hit her — simply because she was riding on the road.

Except it’s not just a problem down South. It’s one we all risk every time we ride.

You can do everything right on the roads, and still get blamed by a cop who thinks he knows the laws that govern bicycling, even though he’s never been trained in it.

Or failed by prosecutors or judges who misinterpret — or sometimes ignore — legal standards in place to protect all road users.

Even bike riders.

Granted, things have improved greatly in Los Angeles under Chief Beck, particularly through the efforts of bike liaison Sgt. David Krumer. We now have a voice within the department we never had before.

Although it’s still far from perfect, as it’s not hard to find officers who have seen or don’t remember the city’s highly praised bike training module.

But leave the city, and you can find yourself subject to sometimes absurd interpretations of the law.

Take last week, when I was threatened by a road-raging driver while riding on the sharrows on Hermosa Avenue in Hermosa Beach.

The cop I flagged down was more than willing to tell the driver who tried to threaten me that I had every right to ride in the traffic lane. And was happy to explain that those little bike pictures on the street mean that’s where I’m supposed to ride, and he was required to share the lane whether he liked it or not.

So far so good.

But then he followed-up by incorrectly telling me that no violation had occurred — even though it’s against the law to threaten anyone with a motor vehicle, or to pass a rider in an unsafe manner. The truth was was that there was simply nothing he could do since he didn’t actually observe the violation.

Then he went on to add that I could have been arrested for following the driver into a public parking garage to take a photo of his license plate.

If that were the case, every paparazzo in North America would be behind bars.

But maybe the first amendment doesn’t apply in Hermosa Beach.

I’ve also gotten word that the CHP says it’s against the law to ride two or more abreast, even though that’s not mentioned anywhere in the vehicle code.

And I get regular reports from cyclists about officers telling them to get out of the traffic lanes we’re legally entitled to, or to ride in the door zone or amid the broken glass and gravel in the gutters in violation of our rights under CVC.

It’s a very sad comment that cyclists often know the law better than those who are charged with enforcing it. Let alone that we have to.

But that’s the world we live in.

If you’re stopped by a cop who doesn’t know the law, don’t argue with him. You’re far better off accepting a ticket you can fight later than ending up in cuffs. You can take it up with his supervisor when you get home. Or take it up with the judge.

And hope you get a better one than the one in Mississippi.

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A letter writer says the Time’s recent endorsement of bikes doesn’t reflect reality. This explains why you may be more likely to be run off the road by a jerk in an expensive car; actually, I tend to have more problems with jerks in trucks and muscle cars. Workshops continue for wayfinding signage on future Bike Friendly Streets. Simple observations says more people are riding more in L.A. Gary says high gas prices could drive a further increase in bicycling. Another look at Silver Lake’s Dr. Suess-designed pedestrian plaza. That bike musical we mentioned the other day may be a good one, but not the first after all. Can fashion lead the way for bike advocacy — and am I wrong to be offended when ghost bikes are used to sell clothes? Limited closure of the San Gabriel trail for repaving has been delayed. The Claremont Cyclist gets mistaken for Lance Armstrong.

Streetsblog says it’s round two for the three-foot passing law, similar to the one vetoed by our sadly misguided governor last year. San Diego’s leading bike website will soon extend coverage throughout the county and to all kinds of bicycling. The importance of bike advocacy. A Coronado man plans to ride across the country to call attention to traumatic brain injuries. CHP in El Centro blame a suicidal cyclist for turning into a truck that desperately tried to avoid him; yeah, right. The Coachella Valley plans to spend $80 million for a 54-mile paved pathway for golf carts, e-vehicles and bikes too. A Ventura County mountain biker thanks the people who helped save his life. Four members of Lance Armstrong’s developmental team were injured in a crash at their Santa Ynez training camp. CHP stats for the County of Santa Cruz show cyclists at fault in more collisions than drivers; of course, they’re the ones assigning blame. And I doubt rumbles strip will help. Caltrain proposes assuming responsibility for a free, volunteer bike valet. A Bay Area columnist goes from hating bikes to thinking they’re the future to hating bikes, or at least the people on them. Sacramento cyclists — and unwilling drivers — enjoy the benefits of back-in angled parking.

How to go hard anywhere. Helmet hair is no longer an excuse for not riding. Bikes aren’t the reason for Portland’s transportation problems. Eight years in prison for a repeat drunk driver convicted in the hit-and-run death of a Colorado cyclist. Press reports blame the victim of a fatal collision for riding in the traffic lane rather than on the shoulder, yet fail to mention that bikes are allowed in the lane in all 50 states, and offers no further explanation for why an Atlantic City cop ran him down. New York makes improvements to Prospect Park that actually benefit riders for a change. The New York Times continues the debate over making cities safer for cyclists and pedestrians, including a remarkable claim in the comments from John Forster, the father of Vehicular Cycling, that no one has ever created a safe bike lanes; thanks to Evan G for the heads-up. Selling vintage bikes in Boston. If you’re going to ride against traffic, don’t collide with a cop.

A Canadian study shows cycle tracks and local streets mean fewer injuries for cyclists. A UK letter writer calls cyclist behavior disgusting. A bronze statue is planned for a singer killed while riding her bike in London. Far too many Irish cyclists have been killed or injured on Dublin Streets. A Dutch study says bike helmets offer virtually no benefit in moving collisions; instead of opposing helmet use, why not call for better helmets? Park your bike in the wrong Copenhagen spot, and you may find it moved — albeit very politely. What cyclist wouldn’t want to ride the Chuck Norris bike and pedestrian bridge? Breathtaking bike sculpture from China’s Ai Weiwei. Australian authorities target cyclists in an attempt to reduce trauma on the roads, rather than focus on the ones actually causing it. Brisbane bike couriers are told to stop making small talk with receptionists. A suggestion from Down Under that all car mirrors should have warnings to look out for cyclists to prevent doorings. An Aussie man is ticketed for doing 35 in a school zone — on a bike.

Finally, a pantsless woman was arrested for shoplifting at an OC bike shop, reportedly jamming parts and accessories into her somewhat lacking attire. It’s a wonder any of our bike-riding forebears survived the ‘40s, though they seem to have had a different definition of head-on in those days.

And George Wolfberg forwards a warning that the bees that tried to kill me on the bike path may be bringing in robotic reinforcements.

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

Put your week off for awhile with a long list of Monday bike links

February 26, 2012 / / 6 comments

It’s Monday. Or it soon will be, by the time I get this online.

Which means you can hit the ground running and get the week off to a great start. Or settle in, click a few links and put the week off for awhile.

I know which one I’d choose.

……..

Once again, no one arrived at the Oscars by bike. Roadblock says it’s time to end the epidemic of hit-and-runs in Los Angeles; I couldn’t agree more. KCET looks at the Arroyo Seco Bike Path. The L.A. Times suggests bicycling as an alternative to $4 gas; CNN says that’s already happening. Silver Lake gets a new, apparently Dr. Seuss-designed pedestrian plaza. Better Bike correctly calls for a traffic culture change in Beverly Hills. Now that’s what I call a bike lane. Pro tip: If you’re going to steal a bike after dark, bring lights with you so you don’t get stopped by police. Walk Eagle Rock offers a safer and saner alternative to traffic-heavy Colorado Blvd. A South Pasadena police officer plans to ride 300 miles to honor a fallen comrade. The Claremont Cyclist offers a look at the Fortune 700 Fixed-Gear Stage Race at the Rose Bowl. The Santa Clarita Valley will get 158 miles of bikeways under the county’s new bike plan. Long Beach cyclists could soon get a ciclovia of their own. You can now nominate your favorite Long Beach bike shop.

The California Bicycle Coalition and City of Los Angeles are co-sponsoring a reintroduction of the state’s proposed three-foot passing law; hopefully the governor will sign it this time. Bike Newport Beach offer their endorsements — and the opposite — for the city’s Bike Safety Committee. San Diego authorities ask for help solving the murder of cyclist Jordan Hickey; his brother calls the killer a coward. Ventura County cyclists have a new free smartphone app to map out the county’s bikeways. In yet another incredibly wrong-headed move, the anti-bike folks at Caltrans plan to place rumble strips on coastal Highway 1, one of the state’s most popular and scenic riding routes. Family members want to honor the 80th birthday of a man noted for giving away bikes by giving him 80 more to give away. Cyclelicious honors the woman behind Palo Alto’s bikeway system. Facebook has their own Menlo Park bike plan.

Sports Illustrated remembers the 7-Eleven Racing Team that lead the U.S. into the world of bike racing. The Atlantic Cities asks if bike paths really promote bike riding. In a remarkable attack on bicycling, officials in Colorado’s Larimer County propose relaxing restrictions on everything but cycling events; evidently, blocking streets by running, walking or driving is okay, but not by pedaling. Could this be the first bike musical? The Spanish rider paralyzed in a Kansas collision during the 201 Race Across America is riding again, using a hand-crank bike. The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin says riding in traffic can be scary, but if you obey the law, bicycling is safe. An Ohio woman gets 9-1/2 years for running down a judge while drunk. A former military base commander dies nine months after being injured in a bike accident. A new book looks at the history of fast bikes. Miami cyclists issue a call for safer streets for everyone. Orlando streets are getting safer for everyone except cyclists and pedestrians. Jacksonville area residents oppose a plan for sidewalks because it could keep streets from being expanded from three lanes to four; no wonder the state leads the nation in bike and pedestrian deaths.

Canadians are urged to stop resisting bike lanes and start embracing them. Canadian Mounties blame a cyclist’s death on the lack of a helmet — never mind that he ran a red light or got hit by a truck. The debate on bicycling by the UK Parliament shows that bike safety has crossed the Rubicon, while another writer says talk is cheap. A UK rider says hi-viz and helmets aren’t the solution to bike safety, they’re what you have to wear when you don’t have one. Brits are actually more likely to die on a motorcycle — or on their feet — than on a bike; improving safety means increasing investment. “You must be this old to ride a Brisbane bike share bike.”

Finally, a Georgia legislator introduced a bill to ban side-by-side riding because of concerns about bicycle traffic on the “curvy and increasingly mountainous roads in the state;” evidently, they must be becoming less mountainous, since he’s reached a compromise with cyclists.

And leading Dutch bike blogger David Hembrow says that’s it, I quit and I’m taking my blog with me.

Category: General / Tags: , ,
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