A Hi-Viz approach to blaming — and trying to save — the victims

December 23, 2011 / / 19 comments

Growing up in Colorado, I quickly learned to wear my brightest attire when venturing into the woods during hunting season, lest someone mistake me for Bambi’s mother.

Not that we look the least bit alike.

But still, there was always the risk that some armed fool might sense movement, raise and fire without first determining just what the hell he was shooting at.

Even riding my bike, I had to worry about hunters mistakenly assuming that deer tend to travel at relatively high speeds on paved roads wearing spandex. And have spoked wheels instead of legs.

Things that should be readily apparent at a glance to even the most sleep deprived, drunken and/or inexperienced idiot with a high-powered hunting rifle. And it never ceases to amaze me just how many of those we’re willing to arm and send out into the world.

But every year, it seemed like one or more people would get shot just because they ventured out into the woods when the beer and blood lust was running high.

And almost without exception, it would be written off as just an accident.

After all, the shooter didn’t mean to kill anyone. Even if the victim would still be alive if the person with the gun had taken just a few more seconds to verify what he was shooting at before pulling the trigger.

Instead, the authorities would inevitably blame the victim for venturing out without high-visibility clothing, even though the hunters themselves were usually in camouflage gear.* Or just being outdoors in the relative wilderness, when anyone with a salt-lick of sense would know they just didn’t belong there.

Maybe you can see where I’m going with this.

Despite the requirement for a license, and a proliferation of hunter safety classes, it was still up to everyone else to stay the hell out of the hunters’ way, rather than on hunters not to shoot those on two legs instead of four.

After all, they’d suggest, you should know there are people with guns out there. And it’s up to you to stay the hell out of their way.

Or at least make sure they see you if you do.

Sort of like cyclists and pedestrians are expected to do everything short of setting off a thermonuclear device to get a driver’s attention.

No, seriously.

Don’t require drivers to pay attention to what’s in the road directly in front of them. Or improve infrastructure to help keep everyone safe.

No, the standard solution is to put the blame squarely on the potential victim, rather than on the ones capable of causing harm.

Or as former competitive cyclist and current OC attorney David Huntsman put it, it’s like handing out longer skirts to prevent sexual harassment.

It was David who forwarded me a link to a New Zealand story praising a local trucking company for handing out hi-vis vests to cyclists.

The article quotes Tony Gare, general manager of Icon Logistics, discussing a collision one of his drivers had with a dark-attired cyclist, who fortunately was only slightly injured.

“If he had been wearing high-visibility clothing instead, the crash might not have happened.”

There were many cyclists in Dunedin who did not wear the visibility gear, he said.

So Mr Gare bought several hundred high-visibility vests, at a cost of about $50 each, to give away to cyclists.

“If, at the end of the day, it’s going to save someone’s life, it will be worth it.”

Clearly, his heart is in the right place.

Even if his efforts could, perhaps, be better directed by improving training for his drivers, rather than getting local cyclists to dress like people hiking through a high-fire hunting zone.

Huntsman, however, is clearly not one to let a matter such as this lie. So he sent the following email to Mr. Gare.

Mr. Tony Gare
Icon Logistics

 Mr. Gare,

The referenced article came across in my alerts this morning here in California.

First I want to say that the purchase of those reflective vests is a nice gesture.

However, as a logistics firm, isn’t your organization better suited to assess and address the education and habits (and any deficiencies) of truck drivers?  I’m curious to know if your firm has taken any steps in that direction.

Of course it would be helpful if all cyclists and pedestrians dressed in day-glo.  But focusing on that aspect of accident prevention distracts from the other side of the equation – the motorists’ side.

Regards,

David Huntsman

Remarkably, the response came just a few minutes later.

Dear David

Thank you for your email regarding the Hi Vis Vests.

As a company Icon Logistics Ltd  is very proactive in its driver training and all safety matters whether it be on road or off. We have regular Training,  Health and Safety sessions, including those with the local enforcement agencies to keep our staff aware of their responsibilities in operating heavy vehicles.

On this occasion our most senior driver, plus the truck turning into the freight yard failed to see the cyclist because he was indistinguishable from the parked vehicles. This accident occurred on a heavy traffic bypass and an industrial area and as a result of this many of the business in the area have asked for changes in where people can park so turning vehicles have better visibility. While we can’t direct people where to ride, they also must take a degree of responsibility to ensure they can be seen and the choice of roads that they use.

Our General Manger, Tony, has kept in touch with the cyclist, to ensure he has had no further health issues, has replaced his bike and ensured he has the proper reflective clothing.

Regards

Glenda

 Glenda Kempton
Administration Officer

And a few hours later, this came in from Mr. Gare himself.

Hi David

Thanks for your e-mail but as far as training goes in this situation the cyclist was in a heavy transport area with-out any hi-viz and the driver concerned and all of our drivers to this point are well trained and equipped in all aspects of the heavy transport industry

Many Thanks for your response

Kind Regards

Tony Gare
General Manager
Icon Logistics Ltd

Evidently, there’s a punctuation shortage down there in Kiwi land.

But don’t get me wrong.

Like David Huntsman, I appreciate the gesture. Even more when it’s done on a more personal basis, simply because someone cares.

I’m also a firm believer in being as visible as practical, if not as possible. I make a point of riding where I can be seen by everyone else on the road, and lighting myself up like a Christmas tree after dark.

And I’ve learned over the years that what I wear makes a big difference in how well drivers see me. Bright reds, yellows and whites seem to result in far fewer close calls, while an otherwise good bright blue jersey seems to mean dodging cars all day.

I call it my cloak of invisibility because it somehow seems to make me disappear from drivers’ view.

But I draw the line at wearing fluorescent vests to ensure that those who should see me anyway actually do. Let alone that we don’t blend in with parked cars, not one of which I have ever seen that looked even remotely like a bike rider.

There is a point at which drivers must be held accountable for seeing other road users and operating their vehicles safely, without cyclists having to light themselves up with neon signs to point out their position on the road.

Just as hunters have an obligation not to pull the trigger until they know what the hell they’re shooting at.

……..

One quick suggestion for anyone who still hasn’t finished their holiday shopping.

L.A.’s own Pure Fix Cycles offers this very cool $1000 table made with their own Pure Fix Urban Forks and custom wheels, in your choice of frame and wheel colors. Or maybe you’d prefer one of their single speed/fixed gear bikes, starting at just $300 — each of which comes standard with front brakes, as well as optional rear brakes.

After all, if comes down to a choice of brakes or wearing a Hi-Viz vest, I’d rather err on the side of stopping.

*Whenever I see someone dressed in camo, I have to resist the urge to run up and say “I can totally see you, you know.”

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike / Tags: , , , , , ,

Stephanie Segal pleads No Contest in last year’s Agoura Hills death of cyclist James Laing

December 22, 2011 / / 3 comments

Jim Laing, photo courtesy of his sister Peggy Laing-Krause

It looks like the Laing family may get closure for Christmas.

I heard from a reliable source Wednesday afternoon that Stephanie Segal has entered a plea of No Contest to both counts in the drunken hit-and-run death of cyclist James Laing in Agoura Hills last year.

That means she is not admitting guilt in the case, but won’t fight the charges, and will accept the court’s judgment in the case.

The judge has already indicated that he intends to impose a sentence of at least nine years in state prison, with formal sentencing to take place in late January of next year.

Laing was riding on in the bike lane on Agoura Hills Road on the afternoon of Saturday, October 23rd of last year, when he was run down from behind by Segal’s car and died at the scene. She fled the scene, and was followed by witnesses to a nearby parking lot, where she was arrested with a blood alcohol content of .26 — over three times the legal limit.

She almost immediately entered a rehab facility, where she spent much of the past year, whether in a genuine attempt to get help, or a callous — and failed — attempt to get leniency from the court.

By all accounts, Segal has refused to take any responsibility for getting drunk and climbing behind the wheel, let alone needlessly taking the life of an innocent human being.

I’m told that her testimony — against the advice of both the court and her own attorney — in the preliminary hearing was contradictory and confusing, backpedalling repeatedly as she attempted to shift the blame and explain away her actions.

Her attorney seemed to be making the case that she hadn’t attempted to flee, but merely continued driving until reaching a safe place to stop.

Right.

Laing’s sister Carolyn also reports that she tried to blame Laing for kicking her Mercedes Benz, which appears to have been a last-ditch effort to push away from her car in a failed attempt to save his own life.

In other words, he saw it coming. And there was nothing he could do.

Somehow, kicking a car in self defense seems to pale when compared to the drunken murder of another person. But Segal still doesn’t seem to get that.

By all accounts, she came off as arrogant and argumentative during her ill-advised testimony; I suspect her attorney strongly advised her to plead guilty to the charges to avoid digging herself in any deeper.

As one person put it to me, failure to do so after her dramatic failure on the stand probably would have been legal malpractice.

Of course, she’s not likely to spend the full term behind bars. The current prison overcrowding problems mean she’s likely to be released long before the nine years are up. And as a non-violent offender, she may even do her time in county jail.

But I wouldn’t count on getting time off for good behavior, either.

We can only hope that she’ll finally grasp the consequences of her actions as she sits in her cell, for however long that may end up being.

But at least the loved ones Jim Laing left behind can finally end this year with the light of a very long and tragic tunnel firmly in sight.

Update: An anonymous comment below indicates that Segal will be required to spend at least 85% of her sentence behind bars due to the nature and severity of her crime, and that the sentencing will take place on January 26th in the Malibu courthouse.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , ,

Celebrate the Festival of Lights with Mini Monkey Lights

December 21, 2011 / / 8 comments

This seems like an oddly appropriate topic for the first day of Hanukkah.

A couple of months ago, I got an offer from MonkeyLectric inviting me to try out their new Mini Monkey Light.

Their timing was perfect.

I’ve been doing a lot more after dark riding this year as I’ve tried reducing the number of wheels required to attend various meetings by half. Especially since I can ride Downtown from my Westside apartment as fast, if not faster, than I can drive there, with less aggravation and no expensive search for parking at the other end.

And a lot more fun along the way.

The problem was one of safety.

I’m a firm believer in being seen. If I’m going to ride at night, I want to be lit up like a Christmas tree. Or in keeping with today’s theme, a Hanukkah bush.

But finding the side wheel reflectors required under state law has proven virtually impossible. And anyone who actually relies on reflectors to capture the attention of the city’s huge population of texting drivers had better make sure their medical insurance is current.

I had no better luck finding lights to attach to my spokes, as the only one I came up with only managed to stay attached until I hit the first massive pothole. Which, given the state of L.A. streets, was about a half block from home.

Besides, anything named Mini Monkey Light had to be fun. Right?

So I quickly agreed, and sure enough, it arrived just in time for my next Downtown meeting. A meeting my riding partner and I were over half an hour late for, as I struggled to make sense of the cryptic instructions that seemed to be missing a step or two.

But after installing and uninstalling and reinstalling it more than once — okay, more thrice — I finally managed to get it hooked up and working. And soon found my office lit up with an ever-changing series of brightly colored lights.

Since those installation issues delayed our departure, that put us on the road well after dark, providing an immediate test of the Mini Monkey Light.

The first thing I noticed was that everyone else seemed to notice. Drivers gave me a wider than usual berth, perhaps unsure what kind of crazy cyclist would ride with a spinning kaleidoscope lights on his front wheel.

The 10 exceptionally bright LEDs formed an ever-changing pattern of spinning 8-bit graphics, providing a series of blocky patterns that rotated around the wheel if I rode slowly; a solid circular loop pattern if I rode faster. Although that seemed to happen at little higher speed than the company said, becoming a solid loop around 17 – 18 mph, as opposed to the promised 15 mph.

The result for my first 12.5 mile trip using the lights in rush hour traffic, not a single close call. Which is almost unheard of in L.A. traffic, day or night.

Same thing on the way back, as the design of the lights offered increased visibility from virtually any angle — even from the rear. In fact, I found myself choosing to ride caboose, allowing the brilliant cacophony of light to call attention to our petite peloton. Yet not feeling the slightest bit more vulnerable despite the more exposed position.

Not to mention, it was fun.

Okay, a blast.

As I rode, I saw pedestrians, drivers and other riders turn to look, many with just a touch of mirth apparent on their faes. And I found myself having more fun that I have in ages.

Something that seems to be repeated every time I use them.

Surprisingly, even with the heavy battery pack containing three standard AA batteries, it didn’t seem to affect my speed in the slightest. Mounting the battery pack to the wheel hub reduces the effect of the added weight; I found myself easily maintaining my usual cruising speed of 18 – 20 mph with the light installed, and able to sprint at much higher speeds.

And after roughly 20 hours of use, the light is still going strong; the company says the batteries should last up to 40 hours.

Which brings up a few minor complaints, aside from the cryptic instructions.

Mainly the way the light unit is connected.

It’s designed to be attached to the wheel using zip ties — like modern plastic handcuffs — which makes it difficult to remove for daytime riding.

The Mini Monkey Light is most practical for riders who will install it once and leave it there. As opposed to someone like me who mostly rides during the day, and doesn’t want to leave unnecessary lights on the bike when they’re not going to be used.

I found myself attaching the waterproof light and battery pack with the supplied zip ties, then cutting them off the next morning; a wasteful and inconvenient process that quickly went through the handful of zip ties that came with it.

The solution I found was to use twist ties, like you get in the produce department of your local grocery, to attach the light unit. I still haven’t found a viable alternative to zip ties for the battery pack, though, which has to be attached tightly so it will stay in place without slipping around the hub.

That allows me to attach and remove the light unit quickly, though I still have to go through the awkward process of slipping scissors through the spokes to snip the battery pack off the hub.

The other problem is hooking up the wire that connects the two units.

The wires connect via a simple polarized plug-in connection, which can only go in one way. Unfortunately, the connector itself is small and awkward; difficult to manage during the day, and almost impossible fumbling in the dark with cold fingers.

That’s one thing they really need to address before the product starts shipping in February. There’s got to be a more convenient way to hook the wires together. Or at least better indicate how they should connect together.

But other than those relatively minor problems, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone. In fact, I may consider getting another one for the back wheel.

It may be overkill in terms of safety.

But it works. And at just under $50, it’s affordable.

And more fun than a barrel full of…

Well, you know.

My apologies to MonkeyLectric — and you — for not getting to this sooner; the last few months have been remarkably hectic. Then again, it would help if drivers would just stop running us over so we could focus on happier subjects more often.

And this time of year especially, be sure to take lights with you during afternoon rides, even if you don’t intend to be out after dark. A simple flat or some other unexpected delay can easily keep you out after dark. 

……..

One quick legal note.

Dj Wheels reports that Christine Dahab, the allegedly drunk/distracted driver finally charged in the June late night Culver City collision that left a number of riders strewn about the roadway with various injuries — some serious — will be arraigned on Thursday.

The hearing will take place starting at 8:30 am in Department 144 of the Airport courthouse, 11701 La Cienega Blvd, 9th Floor, Case #SA079472.

……..

Best wishes for a very happy Hanukkah!

Category: Product Reviews / Tags: , , , , ,

Take some time to ride your bike. And pet someone you love.

December 18, 2011 / / Comments Off on Take some time to ride your bike. And pet someone you love.

I started writing this last night.

The plan was to get it online late Saturday night, then move on to another subject I’ve been putting off far too long.

But about halfway through, the Corgi climbed into my lap, and politely suggested that my time might be put to better use petting her than pounding my keypad.

She had a point.

So I set down my work and spent the next hour or so reminding myself that what seems awfully important at the time often isn’t. And nothing is more important than letting loved ones know they are.

Even the furry four-footed ones.

So do yourself a favor. Take a break amid all the hustle and bustle of the season, and the mad rush to wrap things up before the end of the year.

Find a little time to get out on your bike. And remind yourself just why you love it so much.

But before you go, take just a moment to remind everyone you love that you really do love them every bit as much as you do your bike.

Maybe even more, if that’s possible.

……..

The Ventura County Star, which usually provides great coverage of cycling incidents, finally reports on the December 3rd collision that killed Hollywood writer/producer Carol Schreder.

Yet they remarkably neglect to mention the name of the victim. Or that she died from her injuries.

And to make matters worse, they have their comments disabled for this story, so readers can’t easily correct their inexplicable error.

……..

Welcome back to one of my favorite L.A. bike bloggers. A Times article on the environmental impact of online shopping gives a (very brief) shout out to shopping by bike. Downtown’s green bike lane is more peeling than appealing. Turns out the head of Santa Monica-based electric car manufacturer Coda Automotive is a full-time bike commuter. Maybe he should move to an upcoming SaMo development with plenty of bike parking but none for cars. Neon Tommy says L.A. and Metro are working towards a more bike-friendly city. Zooey Deschanel rides a bike. A 24-year old Baldwin Park cyclist is injured in a drive-by shooting. Long Beach’s biking expats report home from the New Zealand coast.

A homeless Huntington Beach cyclist is convicted of a vile racist attack on a Latina driver. Orange County bike advocate Frank Peters interviews Jeff Miller of the Alliance for Biking and Walking. Cyclelicious rebuts the primary argument against the NTSB’s recent recommendation that cell use in cars should be banned entirely. Eighty-nine Imperial Valley children get a bike for Christmas, refurbished by local prison inmates. Sacramento plans to launch an expanded bike share program next year.

A champion Scot skier killed in Oregon last month was riding without lights and a BAC nearly twice the legal limit — and just one point below the driver who killed him. A Tucson cyclist is killed after being hit by a train. Boulder CO organization Community Cycles gives 300 bikes to local children. An Idaho driver is charged with intentionally running a cyclist off the road because he wouldn’t get the hell out of his way. Eight Choctaw children get refurbished bikes courtesy of tribal police. Milwaukee sheriff calls a proposed bike lane on a major bridge the dumbest thing he’s ever heard; a cyclist killed there recently would probably disagree. Didn’t get to this one when it first appeared, as Steve Vance asks if it’s safer to ride without a helmet or drive without a seat belt. Yes, Virginia, you can take your Christmas tree home by bike. Woody Allen says bikes are ruining the Big Apple. Harlem businesses fight a new bike lane, while a 17-year old Harlem cyclist gets killed. A DC police officer, who may have been off duty, runs down a cyclist. A North Carolina driver who killed a cyclist in a hit-and-run collision is returned to jail after being mistakenly released. A 19-year old rider on the Lees-McRae College cycling team is killed when a truck crosses onto the wrong side of the road to hit her head-on; cyclists ride in her honor in her Texas hometown. A Florida man continues his annual tradition by giving away over 800 bikes to local children; starting to notice a theme here?

Turns out carbon bikes have a very big carbon footprint. A high school teacher gets a three-year suspended sentence for killing an elderly cyclist, along with a couple of newly weds — and their dog — after apparently going into diabetic shock. British conservatives say it’s your fault if you get killed; a rash of unanswered fatalities suggest London’s BoJo may not be putting cyclists first, after all. A British Royal Air Force vet rides the full length of the country after recovering from war injuries including breaking nearly every major bone in his body and losing both legs. English adventurer — and U.S. bike victim — James Cracknell finds an alternative way of getting around. Scot time trial legend Graeme Obree sets out to set a new bike world speed record of up to 100 mph. There will be no sanctions for Jeannie Longo despite three missed drug tests. The Schleck brothers make their big screen debut. Aussie cyclists are victims of a Me culture. More on the remarkable recovery of Paralympic cycling champion — and possible Olympic competitor — Monique van der Vorst. South African drivers stake their claim to world’s worst; thanks to Todd Munson for the heads-up. A Singapore driver makes a U-turn to look at his cyclist victim before fleeing the scene.

Finally, more than bikes were racing at this weekend’s very successful CXLA Santa Cross cyclocross races. Maybe if I start the Corgi on a strict training regimen, she might be up to the challenge next year.

Thanks to Brian Black Hodes of Velo Images for the photos, and the afore mentioned Mr. Munson for twisting his arm to let me use them. And be sure to click on the link, if only to check out Hodes’ amazing photos, including a breathtaking shot of L.A.’s own former U.S. Crit champ Rahsaan Bahati.

And best wishes to longtime L.A. bike advocate Kent Strumpell for a full and fast recovery from recent surgery. If you ride anywhere in the L.A. area, you owe Kent a round of thanks for all he does to ensure safer roads and better riding conditions for all of us.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Ghost Bike for Carol Schreder, and a host of happy holiday events on a busy bike weekend

December 17, 2011 / / Comments Off on Ghost Bike for Carol Schreder, and a host of happy holiday events on a busy bike weekend

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.

C.I.C.L.E. hosts the last toy ride of the season with the 4th Annual Toys and Mittens Ride on Saturday, December 17th. The ride kicks off at 10 am at the Burbank Community Serviced Building at 3rd St. and Olive Ave in Burbank, and will collect toys and warm clothing to be distributed to local children and families in need.

Update: How could I have forgotten to mention the CXLA Santa Cross Weekend at the Greek? A full weekend off cyclocross racing in Griffith Park, starting at 9 am this Saturday and Sunday in Vermont Canyon, 2700 Vermont Canyon Road.

A ghost bike will be installed on Sunday, December 18 for Carol Schreder, the Hollywood writer/producer killed while riding on Mulholland Highway earlier this month. The ceremony will take place around 11 am near the intersection of Mulholland and Kanan Road.

Flying Pigeon’s Get Sum Dim Sum ride takes place on Sunday the 18th. Riders meet at the Flying Pigeon LA bike shop at 3714 N. Figueroa ST in Highland Park at 10 am, depart at 10:30; bring money for food. Bikes are available to rent for $20.

Also on Sunday, Walk Bike Glendale will lead a family-friendly holiday ride through the Rossmoyne and Glendale Hills neighborhoods, with a 7 pm stop at the Recess restaurant. The five-mile ride will depart from Nibley Park at 5:30 pm, returning around 8:30.

Tuesday, December 27th, the LACBC returns to Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse for the 3rd Annual Mid-Winter Merriment, 2911 Main Street. Good beer, good friends, bike valet and a portion of all sales goes to support cycling in the great L.A. area. What’s not to like?

Celebrate New Years Eve by riding with BMC cyclist and five-time Olympian George Hincapie at A Ride for Life in Santa Clarita benefitting Children’s Hospital L.A. and the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita. The event will feature rides of 30, 60 and 100 miles, as well as a kid’s ride and family walk; there will also be a “huge” expo with food and activities, and everyone is welcome — even your four-legged friends.

The next LACBC Sunday Funday Ride rolls to the Rose Parade on Sunday, January 2nd, led by board members Alex Amerri and Greg Laemmle; details to follow.

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , ,

Update on Rush case, Segal takes the stand, and ride with George Hincapie on New Years Eve

December 15, 2011 / / 4 comments

Just a few quick notes on a cold L.A. day.

……..

First up, cyclist/attorney Dj Wheels offers an update on yesterday’s preliminary hearing for Dominique and Steven Rush, the daughter and father team accused of first killing 17-year old cyclist Alex Romero (daughter), then covering it up (both).

Today’s hearing was very brief.  A preliminary hearing was scheduled for January 17, 2012 in Dept. 122 Van Nuys Courthouse.  Steven Rush appeared well dressed in a gray suit and sat behind his daughter who was brought out from the holding cells.  Date was selected as a “go date” meaning that barring any unforeseen circumstances or unavailability of key prosecution witnesses, the preliminary hearing will go forward.  German Alex Romero’s family all sat together in the courtroom and listened.

Wheels also notes that he has a good feeling about the prosecutor. So maybe we’ll actually see the sort of justice Alex and his family deserve for a change.

……..

Next, I received an anonymous report on Tuesday’s hearing for Stephanie Segal, the driver charged in last year’s drunken hit-and-run death of cyclist James Laing.

The hearing began with a heated discussion between defense counsel and the judge, who continued to hold fast to his previous insistence on a minimum of 9 years in state prison. According to this source, the word “egregious” was used by the judge several times, making it clear that he was in no mood to be lenient.

The defense attorney responded by calling the primary witnesses in the case, including a driver who followed Segal as she weaved her way from the murder scene. Bizarrely, Segal herself insisted on testifying, against the advice of both her own attorney and the judge, who warned that anything she said would be admissible at the trial and would be considered by the jury.

After hearing a description of her contradictory testimony, it’s starting to sound — to me, at least — like nine years in state prison would actually be a lenient sentence compared to what she might end up with in a jury trial.

We should find out soon, as the judge set a date of December 21st — next Wednesday — for Segal to either take the deal or set a date to go to trial.

Reading between the lines, it sounds like Segal still refuses to take responsibility for her actions in killing an innocent cyclist while allegedly weaving drunkenly down the road. And may just be foolish and arrogant enough to fight what appears to be an open and shut case.

I almost hope she does, just so she’ll end up with an even stiffer sentence than the judge is offering.

But for the sake of Laing’s family, we’ll hope she sobers up comes to her senses and accepts a plea next week so they can put this ugly, tragic event behind the before the holidays.

……..

If you’re looking for something fun to do the morning of New Years Eve, you couldn’t do much better than riding with BMC cyclist and five-time Olympian George Hincapie.

And if you’re looking for one last chance to benefit a couple of good causes before the year ends, the answer would be the same.

Hincapie is the celebrity host of A Ride for Life, a Santa Clarita ride benefitting Children’s Hospital L.A. and the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita. The event will feature rides of 30, 60 and 100 miles, as well as a kid’s ride and family walk; there will also be a “huge” expo with food and activities, and everyone is welcome — even your four-legged friends.

Personally, I’m still trying to find a tandem with an extra-low back end so the Corgi could ride stoker.

But you have to register today to receive a free event technical shirt.

……..

I can’t resist sharing this seasonal tweet from the late, great Yahuda Moon.

What kind of bike would Jesus ride? The beard and sandals makes you think recumbent, but I think the obvious choice would be a cross bike.

……..

Hollywood belatedly discovers the tragic cycling death of writer/producer Carol Schreder, as industry paper Variety breaks the news. But still not one word from the major mainstream press.

Possible road diets move forward in Silver Lake, but hit the brakes in Glendale as officials worry about the effect on traffic. Here’s a hint — providing a viable alternative to driving could actually reduce congestion. Meanwhile, The Atlantic Cities looks at L.A.’s green bikeway blues, but other than that, things are just peachy, while LADOT prepares to fill the gap on the Valley’s Chandler Blvd.

Ventura cyclists start an online petition calling on the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) to increase funding for bike and pedestrian projects from 1.3% to 5% to 8%, noting that cyclists and peds make up 21% of all trips — and 25% of all fatalities. Don’t just read it, sign it already. Thanks to @bountybuy for the heads-up.

The Westside COG meets to discuss biking on the Westside, including a possible bike share and ensuring that bikeways that pass through multiple cities actually connect with one another. Beverly Hills bike advocate Mark Elliot deserves credit as a prime mover in getting them to look at the subject.

The Claremont Cyclist defines an epic ride, something we’ve all done at one time or another. And if you haven’t, what the hell are you waiting for?

A Redlands bike thief is busted in a police sting.

Bike Bakersfield is hard at work on the new Kern County bike plan.

Finally,  Seattle driver denies being under the influence before hitting and killing a cyclist — just on a prescription drug to treat opiate addiction, two glasses of champagne, a vodka-based Jeremiah Weed Iced Tea, and a drink called an Adios Motherfucker, containing beer and five types of liquor.

Oh, and smoking a blunt.

But other than that, he was stone-cold sober.

No, really.

My would-be stoker discovers a fear of jolly fat men wearing gloves.

Category: Bike Events, Bikes & the Law, Legal Cases /
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